KATHMANDU, Feb. 4 -- The government introduced the "Bill on the Operation, Use, and Regulation of Social Media" in the National Assembly on January 28, which has sparked controversy, as opposition parties, including CPN (Maoist Center), journalist organizations, and civil society groups, have strongly opposed it.

Several provisions in the bill contradict Nepal's constitution, while vague and incomplete terminologies raise concerns. Critics fear the government will exploit these loopholes to interpret the law in its favor.

Another major concern is the government's direct role as the plaintiff in all related cases, giving authorities greater control over how they define and enforce the law.

The bill requires a Rapid Response Team to ha...