Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah's asset disclosure, filed after his appointment in accordance with Section 50 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002, listed social media — not his government salary — as his primary source of income. 

Shah declared bank deposits of 14.6 million Nepali rupees (INR 91 lakh) and stated that a significant portion of his income is generated through social media, from his over 4 million Facebook followers, approximately 1.2 million YouTube subscribers, and nearly 500,000 followers on X.

The disclosure raises an unusual conflict: Nepal’s sitting prime minister is being paid by the same platforms he uses to communicate government policy directly to the public.

As Part 1 of this two-part series on Nepal’s press freedom crisis has documented, the Shah administration has enforced a strict institutional blackout on journalists: no press conferences, restricted access to ministries, and an economic blockade against mainstream media. 

Alongside this official blackout is a less visible system of control: a vast digital ecosystem used for trolling and targeted harassment. At its centre are prominent social media pages with close ties to Shah’s inner circle.

The algorithmic shield and the inner circle

Most members of Shah’s cabinet are also highly active on social media, often using personal accounts rather than official government channels to communicate with the public.........

© newslaundry