To maintain discipline and protect individuals’ rights on social media, the government has introduced a series of proposed punishments for various offenses committed on digital platforms. The draft legislation outlines penalties for trolling, scamming, and other illegal activities such as creating fake IDs and spreading malicious content.
| Offense | Punishment |
|---|---|
| Trolling | Fines up to NPR 5 lakhs |
| Scamming | Fines of NPR 15 lakhs or 3 years imprisonment, or both |
| Creating Fake IDs | 5 years imprisonment and a fine of NPR 15 lakhs, or both |
| Making False Allegations or Threatening | 3 years imprisonment or a fine of NPR 5 lakhs, or both |
| Publishing Personal Photos/Videos/Audio | 3 years imprisonment and a fine of NPR 15 lakhs, or both |
| Publishing Deep Fake Videos | 2 years imprisonment and a fine of NPR 3 lakhs, or both |
| Operating an Unregistered Social Media Account | A fine of up to NPR 25 lakhs |
| Sharing, Liking, Commenting, Tagging, or #Tagging on Posts With Legal Objections | Prohibited |
Under the proposed rules, anyone found guilty of trolling could face fines of up to NPR 5 lakhs. Scamming, which is becoming an increasingly common issue online, could result in a hefty fine of NPR 15 lakhs or imprisonment for up to three years, or both. Similarly, individuals who create fake IDs on social media platforms may face five years in prison along with a fine of NPR 15 lakhs, or both.
False accusations and threats made through social media would attract a punishment of either three years imprisonment or a fine of NPR 5 lakhs, or both. The law also seeks to crack down on the sharing of personal and private content, with penalties for publishing photos, videos, or audio without consent. Offenders could face imprisonment for up to three years along with a fine of NPR 15 lakhs, or both.
The government is also addressing the growing concern over deep fake videos. Those found guilty of creating and distributing such videos could face up to two years in prison and a fine of NPR 3 lakhs, or both. Additionally, operating unregistered social media accounts could result in fines up to NPR 25 lakhs.
To further prevent the spread of harmful content, the government has also proposed a ban on sharing, liking, commenting, tagging, or using hashtags related to posts that have legal objections.
These proposed regulations reflect the government’s determination to create a safer digital environment and curb harmful behavior on social media platforms.
