The Nepal government on Thursday decided to ban 26 social media platforms running without registration. The meeting was attended by Communications and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, Ministry officials, representatives of Nepal Telecom Authority, Telecom Operator and Internet Service Providers and this decision was taken. According to ministry officials, all unregistered platforms will be banned with immediate effect. The Ministry has started issuing letters to the companies concerned. The government had set a time limit of seven days for compulsory registration, which ended at midnight on Wednesday.
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However, major social media platforms such as Meta (Facebook, Alphabet, X, Redit and LinkedIn) have not yet contacted the Ministry about the process. Officials had earlier warned that the platform which did not comply would face the gradual suspension of its services in Nepal. Currently platforms such as viber, tickets, vetocks and nimbaz are registered, while telegram and global diary are in process. Widely used platforms such as Facebook, Twitter (X) and WhatsApp have not yet started registration. The step has been taken after the Supreme Court order and the recent ministerial meeting chaired by the Supreme Court Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung.
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The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has clarified that this ban will be applicable across the country and the same ban will be imposed on any unregistered platforms operated in Nepal. The government has emphasized that after the registration is completed, platforms can start their work again, ensuring obeying national rules. The Hon’ble Supreme Court has issued a directive order to the Government of Nepal in a case of contempt of the court (case number 080-8-0012), which has been instructed to compulsorily list the online and social media platforms of domestic or foreign origin with the concerned authorities before operations and to evaluate and monitor unwanted materials. As per the decision of the Government of Nepal (Council of Ministers), for the implementation of the said order, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has published a public information on 2082.05.12, in which ‘instructions to regulate the use of social media, according to 2080’, have been given seven (7) days time limit to list social media platforms as per 2080 ‘. All stakeholders are informed that the Nepal Telecom Authority has been instructed to neutralize the social media platforms within Nepal, who have not contacted the Ministry to be listed within the specified time limit.