Nepal Bans 26 Social Media Platforms Over Registration Dispute

Nepal has banned 26 major social media and communication platforms that failed to register themselves with the government’s registration requirement. They are Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, X (previously known as Twitter), WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Reddit. The move occurs after a Supreme Court directive in a contempt matter, which advised the government to have all domestic and foreign-origin online portals register with government authorities prior to conducting business in the nation and to censor content that is considered harmful.

This decision was made by the government when all the companies had not registered according to the given deadline. The seven-day deadline for mandatory registration set by the government expired late Wednesday night.

"The Honourable Supreme Court, in a contempt of court case (Case No. 080-8-0012), has issued a directive order in the name of the Government of Nepal to mandatorily list domestic or foreign-origin online and social media platforms with the relevant authorities before operation and to evaluate and monitor unwanted content. In accordance with the decision of the Government of Nepal (Council of Ministers) dated 2082.05.09, for the implementation of the said order, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has published a public notice on 2082.05.12, giving a deadline of seven (7) days to list social media platforms as per the 'Directive on Regulating the Use of Social Media, 2080'."

All major social media and communication platforms—including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Snapchat, Reddit, Discord, Pinterest, Signal, Threads, WeChat, Quora, Tumblr, Clubhouse, Rumble, Mi Video, Mi Vike, Line, Imo, Jalo, Sol, and Hamro Patro—will remain blocked until they complete the registration process.

TikTok, Viber, Wetalk, Nimbuzz (already registered), Telegram, and Global Diary (currently registering) are still operational as per reports.

Why was the ban enforced?

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Nepal had already given a notice that all the platforms would have to be registered within seven days. The directive further requested companies to designate a local compliance officer as well as establish systems to address local complaints. Minister of Communications Prithvi Subba Gurung accused the social media houses of ignoring such requests by the government on numerous occasions. He has underlined that the prohibition is not final and that services will be reinstated after companies undergo the registration exercise.

Rights groups have come out strongly to oppose the move, terming it a severe threat to freedom of expression. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists and access now, the broad block is a form of excessive censorship. They pushed the government to be transparent and have access restored within a short time. This has been further fuelled by a proposed social media bill, which is being discussed in parliament, that may lead to fines and even jail terms over publishing material that is considered to be against the national interest. The civil society organizations believe that the measures will have the effect of curbing digital freedoms.

Balancing regulation and rights

The decision of Nepal underlines the emerging conflict between the sovereignty of data and open access on the global level. Even as governments demand more accountability from big tech companies, blanket bans could isolate people and destroy much-needed freedoms. In the case of Nepal, the issue now is to impose regulation without compromising the millions of its citizens who are dependent on these media as a means of communication, information, and economic potential.