YouTubers Apologize, Remove Viral Kavre Family Dispute Videos Following Press Council Directive

 

Kathmandu. Several YouTubers and Facebook page operators have publicly apologized and removed videos related to a widely circulated family dispute in Kavrepalanchok after the Press Council Nepal raised concerns over violations of journalistic ethics and privacy.

Around two weeks ago, multiple content creators published videos portraying the personal dispute between 64-year-old Chandra Bahadur Darji and his 34-year-old wife, Junu Pariyar, of Mandandeupur-4, Chainpur, Kavrepalanchok. The videos, which showed the woman being chased through a cornfield and crying, drew criticism for exploiting a private family matter to generate online views and revenue while compromising the woman's privacy and dignity.

The incident also prompted TechPana to publish a news report highlighting the ethical concerns surrounding the coverage.

On Thursday, Shyam Bahadur Bhujel announced through a video posted on his Facebook account that he had removed all content related to the incident from his Facebook page and YouTube channels, including Udayapur Online, Udayapur Paradise, and Chure Parbat Online, following suggestions and directives from the Press Council.

In the video, Bhujel said the intention behind publishing the content was not to harm or defame anyone and apologized if it had caused distress to those involved. He also confirmed that the videos had been removed from the social media accounts of Tik Bahadur Bhujel and Deepika Bhujel.

Similarly, Bikram Limbu, operator of Itahari News, acknowledged that presenting the dispute as an issue of public concern had been a mistake. In a video statement released on Thursday, he said the disputed content had been removed from both Facebook and YouTube and pledged to place greater emphasis on fact-checking and balanced reporting in future publications.

Another content creator, Bik Limbu of Saptakoshi Online, also issued a public apology and removed the controversial videos from the outlet's YouTube and Facebook pages, as well as from several associated personal social media accounts. He committed to producing content more responsibly and in accordance with journalistic ethics and existing laws.

Although the creators have removed the videos from platforms under their control, they noted that copies of the footage had already been downloaded and reshared by other users. They said they have no control over further circulation of those copies, even if their channel branding remains visible.

Following the removals, Press Council Nepal Chairperson Umesh Shrestha urged journalists and digital content creators to practice self-regulation. Sharing links and screenshots of the apology videos on social media, he stressed that responsible journalism should be guided by ethics rather than external intervention.

पछिल्लो अध्यावधिक: साउन ८, २०८३ १९:३६

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