ABSTRACT
People's growing access to digital platforms, particularly social media platforms, has facilitated the proliferation of misinformation in all aspects of Nepali society. This chapter provides qualitative insights on the spread of misinformation across Nepal's seven provinces and highlights the widespread impact of misinformation in Nepali society. Ubiquitous misinformation has had a significant impact on vulnerable groups such as children, youth, women, and those who don't consume mainstream media, as their primary source of information is increasingly social media. Research identifies three primary sources of misinformation: social media users, social media influencers, and political party cadres, with most false information originating from content shared by family members and acquaintances. There are significant variations in how misinformation spreads across Nepal's provinces, influenced by digital connectivity, linguistic diversity, and proximity to international borders. Cross-border misinformation flows, particularly from Indian sources, are prevalent in border provinces. The news media could help to counter the spread of misinformation, but many local media outlets are often used and misused by political parties, corporations, and interest groups. As a result, many local news outlets are used to spread misinformation and construct false narratives, which ultimately leads to a growing public mistrust of the news media itself. However, the misinformation in Nepal is not merely a technological problem but a multidimensional challenge, addressing which requires recognizing its complexity and developing contextualized responses, by all stakeholders including the social media platforms, that account for the country's unique social, political, and media systems.
