We have all seen it, defaming pictures of political leaders and other public figures  making rounds on the internet media including social networking sites like Facebook.



Concerned over this growing trend of spreading insulting sketches and cartoons of the country's leaders and public figures, the Home Ministry of Nepal has warned of legal action against those involved in broadcasting and transmitting materials that violate public decency and courtesy through internet media.



Anyone transmitting or broadcasting such materials is liable of Rs 100,000 in fine or five-years in jail or both.



Social network sites, particularly Facebook, have recently drawn media headlines in various South Asian countries and elsewhere for all the wrong reasons.



In May, Bangladesh temporarily blocked access to Facebook after satiric images of political leaders and anti-Islamic content about Prophet Hazrat Muhammad were found uploaded on Facebook. The move came shortly after Pakistan invoked a similar ban on the site for carrying offensive content.