Election Frenzy: Why Parties Are Spending $1 Billion on Social Media—You Won't Believe the Shocking Reasons!

Other political entities are equally active in their digital outreach. The Gatisheel Loktantrik Party and a host of individual candidates such as Birendra Bahadur Basnet, Shree Gurung, and Sunil Kumar Sharma have also made a significant push for visibility through sponsored content targeting specific constituencies.

In quantifiable terms, the data indicates that in just three months, the Gatisheel Loktantrik Party posted 39 sponsored ads, while the Okhaldhunga chapter of the Rastriya Pariwartan Party followed closely with 30 ads. The main page of the Rastriya Pariwartan Party posted 24 ads, and the Gen–Z United Movement posted 18. Notably, even after the merger, the party maintained its advertising efforts, having spent a total of approximately $2,360 (or around Rs346,576.86) on various promotions within the last three months.

The spending breakdown shows that Rajesh Portel, the party leader who lost a leg during the Gen Z movement, allocated $1,199 from the main page alone. Contributions from various chapters included $240 from Okhaldhunga, $427 from Gen–Z United, and $100 from the Panchthar chapter.

After merging, the Rastriya Pariwartan Party is now recognized on Facebook as the Ujyalo Nepal Party (UNP). The party had previously cut ties with the Rastriya Swatantra Party and restructured its proportional representation list in collaboration with Ujyalo Nepal, which has further strengthened their online presence. The Facebook page Ujyalo Nepal Official has invested $464 in digital promotion over the past 90 days, and spending is expected to rise post-merger, with the Makwanpur chapter reported to have spent under $100 on a single advertisement recently.

Following closely, the Gatisheel Loktantrik Party has spent $1,116 across 39 ads during the same timeframe, focusing on campaigns that promote tourism and agricultural self-reliance. Their recent spending shows $142 on ads in the last month alone.

Individual candidates are also making their mark. Birendra Bahadur Basnet utilized both his party's official page and his secretariat page for election-focused campaigns, spending $630 on 16 sponsored posts. Meanwhile, Shree Gurung, a founding member of Ujyalo Nepal and a previous candidate from Kathmandu–5, spent $489 on 11 advertisements in the past 90 days.

Outside of party-specific promotions, a page called Citizens for Voting Nepal, which positions itself as a non-partisan initiative aimed at increasing voter literacy, notably spent $417 on a single ad intended to guide voters through online registration for voter ID.

Despite these expenditures, recent data from January 11 to 17 shows a slight decrease in overall spending, with the Rastriya Pariwartan Party spending $330 on ads during that week. Notably, several ads ran without the legally required disclaimers, raising concerns about transparency in advertising.

As the Election Commission announces stricter oversight of social media advertising this year, the implications for political campaigning are profound. Although spending remains a pivotal factor, the ability to target specific constituencies based on social media analytics poses a new frontier for political outreach. Technology expert Dobbhan Rai has noted that while social media democratizes election outreach, it also presents ethical dilemmas, such as the potential misuse of third-party services to generate false support or smear opponents.

This year, the commission aims to collaborate with platforms like Meta and TikTok to regulate political ads, ensuring transparency and curbing misinformation. The upcoming election promises to see an increase in digital advertisements as candidates file their nominations, leading to an even more competitive landscape.

As parties and candidates navigate this evolving digital landscape, the focus will not only be on financial backing but also on the authenticity of their campaigns amidst growing scrutiny. The challenge remains for the Election Commission to ensure compliance while fostering a fair environment for all candidates.