Nepal has banned Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram and other major platforms for missing a registration deadline under new directives. Only TikTok, Viber, and a few others remain active as political backlash grows against the move.
The Government of Nepal has imposed a sweeping ban on Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and several other social media platforms after they failed to register with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. On Thursday, the ministry directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to block access to all platforms that did not comply with the Directives for Managing the Use of Social Networks, 2023. The move comes in line with a Supreme Court order requiring all online and social platforms, domestic or foreign, to be officially listed before operating in Nepal so that harmful or illegal content can be monitored.
“The ministry had given ultimatum to all social media to register in Nepal. A meeting held this afternoon has decided to give the order to Nepal Telecommunication Authority to ban the 26 social media effective today,” Gajendra Thakur, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology told ANI.
According to the notice, companies were given seven days from August 28 to apply for registration, reported The Kathmandu Post. The deadline expired on Wednesday night, with none of the major global platforms submitting applications. In contrast, TikTok, Viber, Witk, Nimbuzz and Popo Live have already been listed, while Telegram and Global Diary are awaiting approval.
“Except for the five listed platforms and two in the process, all others will be deactivated inside Nepal,” ministry spokesperson Gajendra Kumar Thakur confirmed. “Any platform completing registration will be reopened the same day.”
The decision was finalised at a meeting chaired by Communication and IT Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, attended by the NTA, telecom operators, and internet service providers. The ban is set to take effect from Thursday midnight.
The government’s decision has triggered political and public backlash. Hit Raj Pandey, chief whip of the opposition CPN (Maoist Centre), called the move ‘objectionable’ and warned it could throw the country into disarray. “Regulation is necessary, but the government must first identify what the problem is and where it lies. If social media is shut down, the country will become chaotic. We oppose this decision,” Pandey told reporters.
Critics say the blanket ban could disrupt communication, commerce, education, and daily life, given the dominance of Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp in Nepal. Businesses fear digital trade and marketing will suffer heavily.
The government, however, argues stricter oversight is essential to ensure accountability of tech giants and prevent the spread of disinformation, hate speech and harmful content. Officials maintain that platforms can regain access immediately upon completing registration.
This marks the first time Nepal has attempted such a large-scale regulatory enforcement on global social media platforms. The outcome is expected to shape the country’s digital landscape and fuel debates over free expression and state regulation in the months ahead.
(With ANI inputs)