High Court upholds Press Council’s authority to regulate digital media

KATHMANDU: Patan High Court has upheld the authority of the Press Council Nepal (PCN) to monitor and take action against digital media outlets, including those operating on social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.

A joint bench of Justices Munendra Awasthi and Tikaram Acharya ruled on Tuesday that the council has the jurisdiction to regulate online media, dismissing a writ petition filed by Diyo Post Media, which had challenged the council’s decision to blacklist several digital news outlets.

“This decision has clearly explained that digital media should also fully comply with the journalistic code of conduct,” said Press Council Chairman Balkrishna Basnet. “It is now evident that the Council can also monitor content disseminated via YouTube and Facebook.”

The ruling reinforces PCN’s recent regulatory efforts targeting online and social media-based outlets. The Council had begun implementing new procedures last year aimed at curbing misinformation, sensationalism, and violations of journalistic ethics on digital platforms.

Legal representatives for the council, including advocates Anantaraj Luitel, Jhabindra Jhushal, Liladhar Upadhyaya, Bikash Bhattarai, Kirtinath Sharma Poudel, Pratibha Upreti, and Bishal Thapa, argued during the hearing that digital content must be held to the same ethical standards as traditional media.

Earlier, the court had ruled in favor of the council’s decision to blacklist other digital outlets, including Nepal Aaja. Diyo Post had argued that the Council lacked the legal authority to oversee digital content and had infringed on press freedom.

The outlet was accused of spreading misinformation through misleading headlines and thumbnails, violating directives, and causing public confusion. The ruling marks a significant development in the effort to bring digital journalism under formal regulation in Nepal.