A delicate balance

The Durga Prasai case highlights the need for social media regulation. But it shouldn’t be rushed.

The line between fake content and free speech online is razor-thin. A recent case in point is controversial businessman Durga Prasai’s accusation against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Prasai, taking to social media, alleged that the Nepali premier had invested Rs32.5 billion in a telecom company in Cambodia. The police determined that the documents he presented were clear fakes, as Oli’s signature was forged and even his name presented in some documents as ‘evidence’ was incorrect. As a result, following an order from the Kathmandu District Court, Prasai was arrested on Tuesday.