Towards this end, the government blocked access to nearly 16,000 porn sites operating in the country’s internet space.

“After daughters and daughters-in-laws started feeling insecure at home, we started blocking such sites,” informed Gokul Baskota, Nepal Minister for Communications and Information Technology.

Speaking further on the growing violence against women resulting in rapes, murders and other illicit activities, the Minister said that this is because of insane people and degenerate mentality.

“The government has not gone insane. Not all Nepalis are insane. Thus, incidents of rape and murder will go down gradually,” added the Minister.

The government’s announcement to ban online pornography has come at a time when the whole country is facing heat waves of protests at all levels over rape and murder of a 13-yr-old school girl named Nirmala Pant from far west Nepal in the month of July 2018.

#JusticeForNirmala has been trending in Nepal in support of protesters demanding justice for Nirmala’s family who had earlier publicly appealed for justice.

Adding to the heat arrived another incident that involved rape and killing of another 10-yr-old school girl in September 2018, followed by acid attack on two other teen-sisters Samjhana and Sushmita Das.

Reaction to Ban
Responding on the ban of online pornography, Shubha Kayastha of the Internet Society Nepal, says, “It is merely a diversionary tactic to hide the government’s incompetence in prosecuting rapists.”

Kayastha is doubtful if the government’s move would be able to curb such illicit acts again women and girls.

Kayastha suggests that better approach to address sexual violence would rather be empowering people and take necessary strict measures against the accused.

“Instead of censoring materials on the internet, the government should direct its attention towards ending impunity instead of trying to find quick-fixes,” says Kayastha.

Now, it’s time for the public to voice their opinions on the proposed move!

The post Amid Growing Sexual Violence, Nepal Bans Online Pornography appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

In a latest move, a hacker (suspected to be operating) from Indonesia has reportedly hacked the country’s only international airport’s, the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), official website on September 28, 2018, resulting in its shutdown continuously for two working days.

However, the site was finally restored on September 30, 2018.

At around 1.32 PM on September 28, 2018, the hacker took onto the social networking site to announce that the site was hacked.

He posted “Tribhuvan International Airport Hacked!” a status message along with a weblink, redirecting to the airport’s official site, attached to the account named ‘Typical Idiot Security’.

Besides TIA, Public Service Commission was another government department that witnessed the jolt in the last week.

The latest incident questions the security robustness of Nepal’s government websites that were upgraded in 2017 after a similar attack on nearly 58 government departments, which also resulted in formation of a three-member panel to address the scenario.

The latest hack was reported despite the safeguard measures taken by the special panel. However, the Director General at the Department of Information and Technology Laxmi Prasad Yadav disagrees to that.

“It is not that we have not done anything to safeguard the digital presence of the government. The challenge in the field of information and technology, however, is so severe that one cannot guarantee 100 percent safety,” Yadav adds.

Aftermath 2017 Cyber Attack
After the security breach of 58 government websites in July 2017, the Government of Nepal had issued a circular to all government departments and agencies to get their security audits done.

Eventually, all those departmental websites were brought under the Government Integrated Data Centre to safeguard their data.

While Yadav says the government’s decision could control the menace to some extent, another department official says that many government agencies haven’t fulfilled the circular requirements.

“There are certain agencies whose digital presence are regularly monitored and some others who do not feel necessary to comply with the circular,” adds the official, informing that only some government agencies undergo safety and security audits before and after implementation of procedures.

“Like financial audit, security audit of websites too needs to be considered seriously. The government should make necessary arrangements to look at server-side threat, security status of web content as well as the hosting agency,” says Rajan Raj Panta Cyber Security Expert.

Panta feels that analyzing and staying updated to hacking trends is utmost important to avoid such incidents.

The post Cyber-attack Revisits Nepal Government Websites! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

In a first such decision in the history of Nepali cinema, the government introduced box office system in the Kathmandu Valley making it effective from July 17, 2018.

The Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Gokul Prasad Baskota launched the program at a special program organized by the country’s Film Development Board (FDB).

The program’s implementation is coming after the Nepali film fraternity raised dire need for such implementation in Nepali film sector.

“With the box office in place, the film sector would be promoted,” says Baskota.

Speaking at the launch program, Baskota said the new decision would boost Nepali film industry by bringing in more transparency in the investment made in the industry.

Initially in Kathmandu, the box office facility would be expanded outside the Valley as well starting from February 2019.  The Supreme Court of Nepal has recently named Nikita Poudel as the new chair of the Nepal FDB.

Hope the new government policies supported by new chair will boost the Nepali film industry in its path towards development.

The post Box Office Entry, A New Hope to Nepal Film Industry appeared first on Nepali Sansar.