SATV Kathmandu Sept 06: No formal communication has taken place between the Government of Nepal and international social media companies since Nepal enforced a ban on unregistered platforms.
The Ministry of Information and Technology on Thursday announced the ban to regulate harmful content, ensure accountability, and oversee advertisements run by foreign platforms.
Following the decision, a few companies—including Meta (which operates Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Threads) and WeChat—made telephone inquiries about the new regulations. However, none have formally applied for registration via email. Only X (formerly Twitter), owned by US billionaire Elon Musk, has sent a formal letter but has yet to begin the registration process, government officials confirmed.
The ministry clarified that only the Nepali app Hamro Patro has come forward for registration so far.
Joint Secretary Rabindra Prasad Paudel told Republica that no international app has entered the registration process yet. He added that the process could take a few more days, given that Saturday is a public holiday in Nepal and Sunday is a weekend in most other countries.
Meanwhile, YouTube—among the most widely used platforms in Nepal—has not contacted the government. Other platforms, including Snapchat, LinkedIn, Clubhouse, IMO, Reddit, Discord, Pinterest, Signal, Quora, Tumblr, Mastodon, Rumble, MeWe, VK, Line, Zalo, and Soul, have also not reached out.
In the wake of the ban, many Nepalis have turned to alternatives such as Viber and Telegram. Viber is already registered in Nepal, while Telegram has begun the registration process. TikTok, which is registered, has also seen increased traffic.
Internet service providers across the country have started blocking access to unregistered social media apps and websites in line with directives from the ministry and the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, the regulatory body overseeing telecommunications services.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from digital rights activists, opposition parties, and civil society groups, who argue that it threatens freedom of expression, access to information, and other fundamental rights.
Pushpa Kamal Dahal, chairman of the main opposition CPN (Maoist Center), urged the government to reconsider the decision, warning that thousands of small and large businesses depend on social media, and a blanket ban without viable alternatives could cause severe disruption.
Similarly, the National Human Rights Commission has called on the government to review its decision to safeguard freedom of expression, communication rights, and other fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution and international law.
