Section 1: Data Breaches
Data breaches have been making headlines worldwide. This month, a cyber news outlet reported that nearly 10 billion unique, plain-text passwords were leaked by a single hacker. This allows hackers to use the leaked or compromised password list to gain unauthorized access to public systems or personal accounts. This is also known as credential stuffing. Additionally, you can check if your password, mobile number, or email has been leaked by visiting the Cyber News website.
Section 2: Deepfakes
Recent events have highlighted significant concerns regarding deepfake technology, demonstrating its potential to spread misinformation, especially about public figures. For instance, a viral video showing Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah kissing Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol was created using deepfake technology. This video gained widespread attention on social media, sparking serious discussions about how this technology can be used to deceive the public and damage the reputation of individuals whose faces are used without their consent, ultimately harming their personal and social lives. Deputy Mayor Dangol filed a complaint with the Cyber Bureau, seeking accountability for the creation and distribution of the fake video. This action highlights the severe impact of deepfakes on individual privacy and public trust, and the urgent need for legal and regulatory frameworks to effectively address such issues.
Similarly, in another incident, a 22-year-old individual was arrested for creating deepfake videos of the Prime Minister and other prominent figures. This arrest highlights the importance of regulating the misuse of deepfake technology. In this context, the police have issued a warning about the spread of misinformation facilitated by deepfake technology.
Overall, these incidents emphasize the urgent need for both public awareness and regulatory measures against the misuse of deepfake technology. A concerted effort is essential to mitigate the potential risks that deepfakes pose to the integrity of information and the reputation of public figures. This necessitates collaborative initiatives and dialogues among stakeholders, including governmental entities, media outlets, and rights advocates, particularly those specializing in digital rights. The major objective should be to safeguard the interests of internet users.
Section 3: TikTok and Digital Rights
Recent events indicating TikTok’s plan to register and establish a contact point in Nepal will have a significant impact on digital rights. By registering as a legal entity, TikTok can increase accountability and transparency in its operations, potentially leading to improvements in data privacy and content management. This could enable quicker responses to user privacy, security concerns, and harmful content. Furthermore, users can voice their concerns and seek solutions, empowering their rights and ensuring user interests in the digital space.
However, the establishment of a legal entity also raises concerns about the user’s freedom of expression; government’s ability to directly monitor user expression and easily access personal information for political gain. This could facilitate state surveillance of citizens and disproportionately affect marginalized communities whose expressions challenge the current political and social norms. In particular, the intersectional oppression faced by the queer community, rooted in both homophobia and misogyny, may hinder their ability to exercise the freedom of expression they have found on TikTok.
Therefore, after the lifting of the ban on TikTok, it is crucial for stakeholders to prevent it from becoming a political tool that marginalizes others for the benefit of a limited elite.
Section 4: Online Violence
While there is frequent news or discussions about technology-based violence on social media, Nepali news media rarely gives this issue a serious coverage. However, the reactions on social media reflect the social structures in real life. Women, queer individuals, Dalits, and other marginalized communities who are marginalized in social structures are also marginalized in the digital world.
According to a September interview in Kantipur titled “Untouchability and Discrimination: A New Form on Digital Platforms,” “A new form of untouchability and discrimination can now be seen on digital platforms. Comments filled with contempt can be found on social media. In interviews with individuals from the Dalit community, many were found to be degrading them based on their caste.”
Another news article about technology-based violence, private photos of UML leader Sunita Baral were made public. Baral stated that these photos were created through the “misuse of technology in a sponsored manner.” Regardless of which is true, publishing these photos with the intention of defaming her is a form of technology-based violence against women.
There is a complex interplay between technology, social structures, and violence in Nepal. While technology offers opportunities for connection, exploration and independance, it can also be used to amplify existing social inequalities and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. The underreporting of technology-based violence by Nepali news media further contributes to the normalization of such behavior.