Mallika Aryal's informative article correctly highlights Nepali blogs' role in providing an invaluable alternative news angle to the outside world. Aryal also rightly suggested problems around access and online credibility. But there are deeper issues for Nepali bloggers that seem reflective of offline problems. Nepali blogs, like offline media, are not havens of complete free speech. Comments are moderated by bloggers and self-censorship is in place, as Dinesh Wagle of UWB has admitted (there are certain topics he refused to post on). More importantly, reasoned debate is very hard to find. Most comment boxes are filled with repetitive and intensely personal attacks against all political leaders and fellow commentators. Anonymous comment box posting seems to encourage sharp and aggressive online attacks. Worse, many blogs develop their own online orthodoxy. Blogdai's site, for example, appears to reinforce like-minded readers and chase away any alternative views. This all sounds negative but hopefully recent developments in democracy offline can be matched in greater democratic debate and self-scrutiny across the Nepali blogsphere.

James Sharrock,
Kilburn, London, U.K.