Kathmandu: Press Council Nepal has sent a circular to the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police, calling for an investigation and action against 43 YouTube channels accused of disseminating false, misleading, and inappropriate content.

The decision to take action was made by the Council’s Code of Conduct Monitoring Sub-Committee, chaired by Bal Krishna Basnet, following concerns that these platforms were violating content standards. The Council had previously warned these YouTube channels, but after non-compliance, further steps were taken by involving the police.

A press release by the Council’s Information Officer, Ram Sharan Bohara, stated that the Council has been monitoring YouTube channels since April 2, 2024, and is working on a procedure to manage, enlist, and archive these platforms. The Council has also blacklisted three media outlets: MBP Crime News, TV Annapurna, and Setokhari.

Out of 76 complaints received, the Council acted on content from 269 outlets through self-monitoring, highlighting its ongoing efforts to regulate YouTube content amid a rise in complaints regarding fact-less and inappropriate material.