Nepal's Pivotal Election Faces AI-Driven Disinformation Onslaught
As Nepal prepares for crucial parliamentary elections on Thursday, a new and insidious threat has emerged on the digital frontlines of its political campaigns: a deluge of AI-generated disinformation. This vote marks the first major electoral test since September 2025, when deadly protests—sparked by a government-imposed, brief social media ban—toppled the administration of then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
The landscape is now a "digital battleground," according to Kathmandu-based technology policy researcher Samik Kharel. "With around 80% of Nepal's internet traffic flowing through social platforms, and limited local expertise to monitor machine-generated content, it's becoming a perfect storm," Kharel told AFP. "Even experts struggle to discern real from fake."
Parties across the spectrum are aggressively courting young voters online, a demographic pivotal in the 2025 uprising against job shortages and corruption. However, this digital push is being poisoned by manipulated media. Recent incidents include AI-generated images, created via tools like ChatGPT, that falsely depicted a massive rally of over 500,000 supporters for an ousted premier's party; police placed actual attendance below 5,000. On TikTok, a fabricated video falsely showed a major party leader endorsing a rival.
"In a country with growing internet penetration but lagging digital literacy, people tend to believe what they see," warned Deepak Adhikari, editor of the fact-checking outlet NepalCheck. The Election Commission has acknowledged widespread use of hate speech and deepfakes, with over 600 cases referred to authorities.
Complicating matters are external ideological pushes. Researcher Ammaarah Nilafdeen of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate noted campaigns on Indian social media calling for the restoration of Nepal's Hindu monarchy, amplified by far-right elements. "This contrasts sharply with domestic demands for strengthening democratic institutions," she said.
Despite measures like fines or candidate bans, experts say the scale of the problem outpaces official response. "Candidates and their affiliates are now in a race not just to win votes, but to spread misinformation," observed Basanta Basnet, editor-in-chief of Onlinekhabar. The consequence, as fact-checkers have warned, is a direct threat to the foundation of democracy, potentially swaying citizens with convincing falsehoods.
Voices from the Digital Frontline
Anjali Shrestha, 28, Graduate Student in Kathmandu: "It's terrifying. My family in the village shares these slick videos thinking they're real. The platforms and the election body need to act faster, or people's faith in the process will vanish."
Rajendra Thapa, 45, Small Business Owner in Pokhara: "Every election has rumors, but this AI stuff is different—it looks completely authentic. It makes you question everything you see online now."
Maya Gurung, 32, IT Professional & Activist: "This is a deliberate assault on our democracy by actors who see our digital vulnerability as an opportunity. The government's response has been pathetic—all talk, no real systemic action to build resilience." [More emotional/pointed]
Dr. Sanjay Kumar, 50, Political Science Professor: "Nepal's case is a cautionary tale for emerging democracies globally. The fusion of high social media dependency, low digital literacy, and accessible AI tools creates an unprecedented challenge for electoral integrity."