The 21st century, called the “Information Age,” is backed by various astonishing scientific discoveries, with the Internet standing out as the most transformative. From the moment our day begins to when we go off to sleep, our daily activities function within this very intricate web of technology—the Internet, redefining how we connect, work, and learn. For children (individuals under the age of eighteen, as per the law of Nepal), this profound integration of the Internet, especially in their formative years, results in far-reaching implications for their cognitive and social development. Here, while the Internet features numerous advantages and opportunities for a child’s growth, it simultaneously exposes them to crucial risks, ultimately raising concerns regarding their “online safety,” particularly in the emerging digital landscape of Nepal.
Opportunities and risks of the digital playground
As per a report by ChildSafeNet (CSN) and UNICEF, 85.85 percent of children in Nepal use the Internet on their mobile phones. This very statistic depicts the increasing involvement and active digital presence of Nepali children, emphasizing the powerful impact of the Internet in shaping their daily experiences. On one hand, the digital space provides a handful of opportunities through platforms such as Google Classroom, YouTube, Edusanjal, etc., regardless of the geographical constraints. Numerous other social media platforms and online forums allow children to connect globally, share ideas, and foster their creativity.
However, the use of the Internet also comes with significant risks and dangers—“including exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, online predators, and privacy breaches,” as explained in a situation paper by ChildSafeNet (CSN) and UNICEF in the year 2024. Parents often introduce their children to mobile phones and tablets in the pursuit of seeking the benefits of technology and the Internet. Children, however, cannot distinguish between the use and abuse of those digital devices.
As a consequence, the Internet can become hazardous for innocent minds in the absence of adequate parental guidance and supervision. Children exploring social media, gaming platforms, or unregulated websites may encounter dangerous content that may negatively affect their mental and emotional health in the long run. We can take a well-known example of cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying—the use of electronic media to harass, insult, and threaten someone—has surfaced as one of the major issues in our society. According to a report by the National Information Technology Center, Nepal recorded over 1,000 cases of cybercrime as of 2020, among which the majority of cases were related to online harassment and cyberbullying. In addition, online predators can also target and misuse the weaknesses of children, mostly through anonymous interactions on social media, with the intent to negatively manipulate and deceive them. “Children are also perceived as more vulnerable than adults to privacy online threats due to their lack of digital skills or awareness of privacy risks”, as stated in an evidence review.
Because of this, children often unknowingly share their sensitive details like locations, images, or other contact details, which makes them even more prone to exploitation, fraud, and identity theft. For instance, numerous reports of minors and children being coerced into sharing their private content online have emerged in Nepal. Such triggering experiences contribute to immense psychological traumas and mental distress among children.
Digital guidance
Addressing these crucial challenges demands the collaborative involvement of parents and educators. Parental guidance should always be at the forefront and should establish “digital mentoring” to ensure safe Internet interaction for their children. Parents can take some basic steps, like setting up parenting controls and filtering tools, limiting screen time, and having open conversations about the evils of the Internet. Similarly, school teachers can embed ideas of digital literacy through their teachings and curriculum to educate students about reporting and distinguishing inappropriate activities online.
Current legal frameworks of Nepal
While there has been some progress, the regulation of the complex digital arena remains largely unregulated in Nepal. The Electronic Transactions Act, 2008, is a foundational primary law of cybersecurity that addresses major cybercrimes, including piracy, fraud, and other significant data breaches. However, it lacks strong measures to deal with emerging and escalating issues related to cyberbullying, privacy violations that are child-specific, and online harassment, especially those on social media and gaming platforms, which are now growing in popularity among children.
While the Act Relating to Children, 2018, introduced penalties for the digital sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, there are no provisions for protection against other forms of non-sexual abuse, like verbal cyberbullying, defamation, or continued online harassment. Moreover, most of the victims in question are usually children. These children are not used to digital literacy, nor do they have a support system in reporting such incidents, much less in affording psychological counseling, which contributes to overall vulnerability.
Complementing this, in light of the growing Internet threats, an Online Child Protection Procedure, 2021, was developed to protect children from exposure to harmful online content. It mandates service providers to block explicit material and create in-place mechanisms for handling complaints. However, this framework is barely enforced and lacks coverage of misuse of personal information, doxing (sharing of private information without consent), and coercive threats, all of which are on the rise.
Amid rising concerns regarding digital security, the government resorted to the Social Media Regulation Bill, 2025. Its provisions mention cyberbullying, identity theft, and the sharing of explicit or morphed content, to an extent. The bill intends to check, regulate social media behavior, and hold online wrongdoers accountable. On the contrary, most of the criticism has been directed at the vague and ambiguous language used.
Following this, the government has proposed the Information Technology and Cyber Security Bill, 2025, which seeks to modernize the outdated cyber laws in the country. The bill clearly mentions provisions that are introduced specifically to counter cyberbullying, online harassment, and invasion of privacy, which include unauthorized access and manipulation of personal data. It also suggests the establishment of specialized IT courts to be tougher on such offenses.
So far, neither of the bills specifically includes any measures for the protection of children. These measures would mainly include age-appropriate privacy by default, simplified reporting systems for minors, and mandatory safety on digital platforms.
Thus, while Nepal has taken some steps toward the prevention of cyber threats, there remains a huge gap in the legal provisions of Nepal, as they fail to lay out how children and youth in particular can be safeguarded. Without adequate and explicit provisions for children’s online protection, bullying and privacy violations place them in a very vulnerable position. Upgraded legal standards for child safeguarding in Nepal’s burgeoning digital space should be ensured through age-appropriate safeguards, better enforcement, and enhanced digital literacy.
