Nepal is facing a surge of AI-generated disinformation as it prepares for elections, the first since deadly protests in September 2025 temporarily shut down social media and toppled the government. The unrest had been driven by tech-savvy youth frustrated with job shortages and widespread corruption.
Political parties are increasingly using social media to reach voters, particularly young first-time registrants. However, fact-checkers warn that much of the content circulating online is manipulated or false.
“In a country where digital literacy is low, people believe what they see,” said Deepak Adhikari, editor of NepalCheck. Researcher Samik Kharel described the election period as a “digital battleground,” noting that Nepal currently lacks the expertise to effectively monitor machine-generated content.
About 80 percent of Nepal’s internet traffic occurs on social media, with over 56 percent of the population online, including 14.8 million Facebook users, 4.3 million on Instagram, and 2.2 million on TikTok, according to DataReportal and the Internet Service Providers’ Association of Nepal.
Experts warn that unchecked disinformation could undermine the integrity of the electoral process, posing a serious threat to democracy and public trust.
