KATHMANDU: The government has said it will wait until midnight for social media companies to register in Nepal, warning that failure to comply could result in a shutdown.
Last Thursday, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology issued a notice instructing all unregistered platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, YouTube, Google, and Gmail, to complete registration within seven days. The ultimatum expires today.
So far, none of the companies have applied for registration in Nepal, according to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority. “We issued the ultimatum, but no company has even responded. Officials are waiting to see if an application arrives by midnight. If not, discussions are leaning toward a shutdown, though no final decision has been made,” an NTA source said.
The government remains undecided on which platforms to block, as shutting down widely used services like Google Search and Gmail would also affect state operations. “Daily correspondence and communication would be disrupted, and banning legal search engines could invite lawsuits over the violation of the right to information. Some platforms may continue beyond midnight, while others could be blocked,” another NTA official explained.
Currently, only Viber and TikTok are registered in Nepal. Other widely used platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn remain unregistered.
Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung, who also serves as government spokesperson, told the National Assembly on August 19 that Meta (Facebook’s parent company) has repeatedly refused to register in Nepal, citing its unwillingness to comply with the country’s laws and constitution.
The ministry has required registered platforms to establish a local contact point, designate a grievance-handling officer, and appoint a compliance-monitoring officer within Nepal.
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