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Election authorities in Nepal are ramping up efforts to combat misinformation on social media platforms ahead of the March 5 elections, implementing a more comprehensive approach than in previous electoral cycles.
The Election Commission has established the Election Information, Dissemination and Coordination Centre (EIDC) to make the electoral process more systematic and technology-driven. Within this framework, the Information Integrity Promotion Centre (IIPC) specifically focuses on curbing the spread of misleading content across digital platforms.
“These bodies analyse harmful and toxic content and recommend action to relevant regulatory authorities,” explained Election Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhatta. “This also involves cooperation with platforms such as Meta and TikTok.”
The commission has already requested action against 98 pieces of content on social media platforms that were deemed harmful. Officials have categorized misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech as harmful content requiring intervention.
This year’s approach builds on partnerships established during the 2022 local and federal elections, when the commission worked with Meta—parent company of Facebook and Instagram—and ByteDance’s TikTok to regulate political advertisements. Since then, Facebook’s Ad Library has expanded to include Nepal, providing public access to information about political ad spending and content.
The digital monitoring efforts extend beyond the Election Commission. A special cell has been formed under the Integrated Election Security Plan-2025, bringing together representatives from the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and National Intelligence Department.
“As social media has become a new battlefield in election campaigns, security agencies are closely monitoring fake posts and misinformation,” said Nepal Police spokesman Avi Narayan Kafle.
The police force has established cyber cells at the district level specifically for the election period and is utilizing specialized software called eMonitor+ to identify and track problematic content. These district-level units coordinate with the Central Joint Cyber Cell at the Election Commission.
Recent incidents highlight the challenges authorities face. Rajiv Khatri, a Rastriya Swatantra Party candidate for Bhaktapur-2, came under scrutiny when his Facebook profile showed an unusual pattern of likes, many coming from fake accounts. Similar allegations surfaced regarding Eliza Gautam, a proportional representation candidate from the Aam Janata Party, though police have yet to take action in either case.
Khatri claimed that someone boosted his social media posts without his knowledge, but experts note this would be highly unlikely without account access or cooperation from the account owner.
The shift of election campaigning to social media presents new challenges for electoral integrity in Nepal. Platform algorithms increasingly influence voter perceptions, while the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technologies makes it more difficult for voters to distinguish authentic content from manipulated material.
Dovan Rai, an AI specialist, emphasized the importance of accountability: “If a candidate shares fake videos or misleading posts, their party should be held accountable. Voters must also remain vigilant.”
The Election Commission’s efforts reflect a growing recognition worldwide that electoral integrity now extends beyond traditional polling stations to the digital realm. While regulating social media algorithms remains challenging, Nepali authorities are attempting to balance technological monitoring with public awareness campaigns.
As the March 5 election approaches, the effectiveness of these digital safeguards will be tested in real-time, with potential implications for how democracies worldwide address similar challenges in the future. The commission’s collaboration with tech giants represents an acknowledgment that protecting electoral integrity in the digital age requires partnership between government agencies and private platforms.
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11 Comments
I’m curious to learn more about the specific strategies and metrics the IIPC will use to evaluate and respond to problematic content. Transparency around their process will be key to ensuring public confidence.
Building on past partnerships with platforms like Meta is a smart approach. Consistent, collaborative efforts to address election-related misinformation are crucial to protecting the democratic process.
Absolutely. Maintaining an open dialogue and coordinated response between election authorities and tech companies will be key.
While the proactive stance is commendable, I hope Nepal’s approach strikes the right balance between addressing harmful content and preserving free speech. Overreach could undermine public trust as much as misinformation itself.
Interesting to see Nepal taking proactive steps to address misinformation and protect election integrity. Collaboration with social media platforms is a smart move, though it will be critical to ensure a balanced, fair approach that respects free speech.
Curbing the spread of harmful content like misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech is important for maintaining trust in the electoral process. Glad to see Nepal’s Election Commission taking this issue seriously.
Agreed, it’s a complex challenge but a necessary one. Maintaining the integrity of elections is fundamental to democracy.
Partnerships with social media platforms could be very helpful, but it will be important to ensure there are clear guidelines and checks in place to prevent overreach or censorship. Finding the right balance is critical.
Good point. The public will need to see that the process is fair and evenhanded, not biased or abused for political gain.
Requesting action against 98 pieces of content deemed harmful is a significant initial step. I’m interested to see how effective these interventions are at curbing the spread of misinformation in the run-up to the elections.
Agreed, the proof will be in the pudding. Ongoing monitoring and transparent reporting on the impact will be essential.