On January 3, 2023, CMR-Nepal organized a discussion in Butwal, Lumbini Province, to address the issue of misinformation in the region.
The event was attended by 54 people, including Province Assembly members, political party representatives, youth, students, farmers, business community, women’s groups, journalists, and social media influencers. The participants shared their personal experiences with misinformation in various forms of media.
During the discussion, Province Assembly Member Bhoj Prasad Shrestha highlighted the challenges faced by the public in identifying accurate information in the information era.
He emphasized that misinformation and disinformation are especially prevalent during elections and can have negative impacts on civil society and political institutions. He called for action against those involved in disseminating misinformation.
Advocate Deepa Sunar pointed out that the law prohibits the dissemination of misinformation and called for its effective implementation to combat this problem.
Jamuna Nepali, the General Secretary of Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO) in Rupandehi District, emphasized the need to tackle misinformation targeting lower castes in the area. She explained that the use of derogatory remarks and their representation in society also constitutes misinformation.
The student and youth participants in the program emphasized that social media is a common platform for the spread of misinformation, often taking the form of parody, humor, and satire. They stressed the need for media literacy at the school and college level to combat this issue.
