Police, experts warn social media abuse eroding public trust

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 10: The widespread misuse of social media and unchecked sharing of unverified content have emerged as major challenges, demanding coordinated action from state authorities and stakeholders, experts said on Monday.

At a “One-day Seminar on the Role of Media in Crime Investigation and the Maintenance of Peace and Security” organised by Nepal Police Headquarters, speakers emphasised the need to distinguish genuine mainstream media content from social media material.

Inaugurating the seminar, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Bahadur Karki said that misuse of social media and fabricated content has hampered fair crime investigations, affected police morale, and even targeted mainstream media. Addressing the seminar, he said the Police Headquarters plans to launch an Advanced Analytical Cell to examine and analyse AI-generated content in the near future.

IGP Karki also praised responsible journalism that employs AI tools effectively, warning against using technology to distort reality or mislead the public.

Laxman Humagain, Chairperson of the Advertisement Board, said that misleading and false information circulating on social media is increasingly overshadowing content produced by mainstream media, which often goes unread or ignored. Humagain stressed the urgent need for laws to regulate such content and for public awareness that social and mainstream media function differently.

Former Additional Inspector General Surendra Bahadur Shah, in a working paper on security threats posed by misinformation, disinformation, and deepfakes, underlined their impact on crime investigations. Citing a study by the Disinformation Social Alliance (DISA), he said that 62 per cent of content circulating on social media is false. 

Shah warned that such misinformation threatens national security, endangers digital data and infrastructure, and creates new challenges in Nepal’s cyberspace.

Senior journalist Pratik Pradhan added that social media users often equate freedom of expression with press freedom, a misconception highlighted during recent Gen Z protests. Unlike traditional journalism, social media lacks a gatekeeping process, allowing content to rapidly shape public opinion. Traditional media, by contrast, moves more slowly due to careful fact-checking but remains more reliable.

“Today, every mobile phone user has effectively become a journalist without clear accountability. Journalism cannot match the speed and reach of social media,” Pradhan said, underscoring the challenges faced by traditional media in keeping pace with online platforms.

The seminar concluded with calls for collaboration among authorities, media professionals, and the public to address misinformation, strengthen media literacy, and ensure the responsible use of technology in journalism.