Nepali parliamentarians demand strong regulation of AI and social media

KATHMANDU: The Nepali parliamentarians stated that artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies should be included in the scope of policy and practical regulation in due course, admitting that the regulation and management of the social network had earlier failed when the use of social media increased.

The MP provided his recommendations on the programs related to the communication sector, including new technology, telecommunications, and media, during the House of Representatives meeting on Monday under the discussion of the topics related to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.

The legislators drew the government’s attention to concerns like data security, mobile service quality, manpower management for information technology, and Internet access for all.

According to Maoist Center MP Madhav Sapkota, 73 percent of people use smartphones, so new technologies need to be regulated. Before social networks and YouTube were regulated and managed, new technologies and AI, like Chat GPT and Google, arrived. “It is a challenge for us to develop ourselves according to the developed technology,” he said. He confuses people when it comes to the subject matter he produces. Consequently, social media needs to be governed. ‘.

Asim Shah, a member of parliament for the National Independent Party, maintains that the government should focus on data and cyber security as well as managing the internet and social media. He also questioned the indiscriminate spending on public welfare advertisements.

AI-guided chatbots, such as ChatGPT and Bard, are making waves in the modern world. But it appears that only radio, television, and post are within the scope of our budget. He questioned, “When will we advance technology at such a rate? The data of almost 4 lakh Public Service Commission applicants has been lost. We weren’t able to get the data back.

This is the circumstance. However, when considering the budget, we place a higher priority on the physical infrastructure created by the Ministry of Communications than on data and cyber security. ‘.

Pratima Gautam, a member of the Nepali Congress, demands that the necessary measures be taken to protect the personal information that the public is asked to provide to the government.

The sale of personal information is currently the main concern, the speaker declared. All of these personal information systems should be eliminated, and the government should establish integrated information protection so that it remains in its own hands.

Our biometric information can only be kept secure after that. It appears that the state is ignorant of this situation. ‘While exercising her right to free speech and the press, she criticized the practice of making even private events the subject of public news and suggested that national security sensitivities should be considered in some situations.

The quality of mobile phone service was also questioned by CPN-UML MP Narayan Prasad Acharya, who demanded that Nepal immediately begin communication services through its own satellite. He claimed: “The work of laying optical fiber was done in public schools and hospitals across the country some time ago. As soon as the power goes out, the mobile network will not function.”. This work hasn’t been finished yet, though. Crossing the road in some locations are wire ropes. He called attention to the suspension of additional postal services without management.

Javeda Khatun Zaga, a Congress member, lamented the lack of communication infrastructure in Bardia and other municipalities as well as Terai districts. Dev Prasad Timalsena, a congressman from the Congress party, also criticized Nepal Telecom’s service despite the installation of mobile towers in various locations. Sunita Baral, a UML legislator, expressed interest in the topic of citizen data security as it relates to the creation of mobile apps and software by various provinces and municipalities.

‘We have realized the need for an action plan to secure and manage public data,’ Baral said. ‘I request that a department be created under the Ministry of Communication and the related technical work be implemented.

Congress Member Nagina Yawad emphasized the importance of data security and demanded that the Minister of Communications pay attention to it because it is a serious challenge.

Social media is chaotic, according to UML MP Eknath Dhakal, and its misuse has added a significant challenge. Reducing cybercrime and online fraud is the main challenge at the moment, according to Chhiring Lhamu Lama, a member of parliament for the Maoist Center. According to her, Karnali and other crucial areas do not have quick phone and internet service.