mediaharsha

By Harsha Man Maharjan    Digital technologies have become pervasive and ubiquitous. Traditional news media organisations have moved to websites and apps, with people accessing news contents in digital forms. Social media platforms have become important to express thoughts and exhibit identities. IT companies and even news media organisations are collecting, storing and analysing users’ data. These organisations are using these digital footprints to innovate. Due to the pandemic, the use of digital platforms like Zoom has increased for interaction and education. The pandemic has accelerated the digitalisation of societies. Scholars are discussing the issues related to domination, identity, representation and differences in the digital sphere.   The disciplines under social science and humanities should be helpful to make sense of this digitalisation. These disciplines need to make students aware of these socio-technological changes. They have to encourage students to...

By Harsha Man Maharjan  The evidence shows YouTube could be a menace, when it is left unchecked — audience being uncritical, YouTuber being avarice — and there are concerns that some mechanisms to govern YouTubers are needed. YouTube has become a platform not only to help those in need, but also to spread malice, hatred, rumours, and earn revenue easily. While discussing the governing mechanisms, we should focus on the role of different actors — state, YouTubers and audiences — and create a balance between rights and responsibilities. Role of state The mechanism the state uses is legal provisions to govern YouTubers, but these provisions have come under criticism as often freedom of expression is curtailed when these laws are used. Let us see two cases, in which the charges were made under the  Electronic Transaction Act, 2008. One, in March 2019, police arrested a model, the owner of YouTube channel,  Masti Talk Time  produced by Fulchoki Media  and its host in...