The K.P. Sharma Oli government on Thursday (September 4) decided to ban as many as 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube, citing their failure to meet the deadline to comply with registration requirements in Nepal.
The move to ban social media platforms comes after the Supreme Court directive in a contempt of court case, which instructed the government to ensure all domestic and foreign-origin online platforms register with authorities before operating in the country and to monitor unwanted content.
Following a Supreme Court directive, the Government of Nepal has mandated the registration of all online and social media platforms. According to a public notice from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, platforms must comply with the “Directive on Regulating the Use of Social Media” and register within seven days. The notice warns that the Nepal Telecommunication Authority will deactivate any non-compliant platforms until they are officially listed with the ministry.
The Supreme Court ruling was in response to multiple petitions filed since 2020 that sought to restrict unlicensed platforms broadcasting ads and content in Nepal. In accordance with this ruling, the government’s Directive on Regulating the Use of Social Media now requires platforms to register with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, appoint a local contact person and compliance officer and establish a mechanism to handle local complaints.
Nepal’s Minister for Communication and Information Prithvi Subba Gurung said that about two dozen social network platforms were repeatedly given notices to come forward and register their companies officially in the country. The platforms would be blocked immediately as they failed to register themselves.
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Prithvi Subba Gurung said that TikTok, Viber and three other social media platforms were allowed to operate because they have registered with the government.
