Kathmandu, Jan 25: Information technology experts have warned that supporters and opponents of political parties have begun spreading misinformation both online and offline ahead of the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) elections.
Speaking at the Kathmandu Conference on Combating Misinformation 2026, experts urged the public and institutions to remain vigilant, noting a noticeable increase in the amplification of false and misleading information in the pre-election period.
Speakers, researchers, and specialists stressed the need to enhance media literacy to curb the growing trend of misinformation and disinformation.
On the first day of the two-day conference, journalism students presented their ongoing research, received feedback from Prof. Dr. Padma Rani of the Manipal Institute of Communication, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, and participated in informal discussions on contemporary issues in communication and journalism.
Experts at the event focused on journalism education, media literacy, ethical challenges surrounding user-generated content, and the current state of fact-checking in Nepal.
Similarly, speakers emphasized the importance of strengthening journalism education, media literacy initiatives, and institutional fact-checking mechanisms to effectively counter misinformation.
Acting Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Tribhuvan University, Dr. Bamdev Adhikari, observed that a “digital war” is taking place on social networking sites and that critical thinking is essential to identify factual information.
On the occasion, media expert Dr. Binod Bhattarai said journalism would continue to shrink if public-interest content supported by rigorous fact-checking is not prioritized, adding that there have been massive changes in the way people consume media. #nepal #election
