Seven provisions behind Nepal’s social media ban

KATHMANDU: The government has said it will start blocking social media platforms that have not completed official registration, citing seven specific provisions under the Social Media Use Directive.

The move follows a Supreme Court order requiring platforms to register before operating in Nepal.

The government had issued a seven-day deadline starting August 28 for platforms to complete registration, but foreign-based operators failed to comply. With the deadline expired, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, in consultation with the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, initiated the ban.

The Social Media Use Directive, Section 3, outlines the seven provisions that give the government authority to regulate platforms:

• Any individual, company, or organization operating a social media platform in Nepal must register with the ministry.
• The ministry is responsible for issuing public notices to encourage registration.
• Platforms already operating before the directive had three months to complete registration.
• Applicants must submit required documents according to the ministry’s prescribed format.
• Registration applications can be submitted in person, through a representative, or online.
• Submitted applications are verified, and if found satisfactory, the platform is officially registered.
• Platforms that fail to comply with these provisions can be blocked from operating within Nepal.

Officials stated that the ban is being enforced because several platforms did not follow these registration procedures. Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung noted that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, had been repeatedly requested to register in Nepal but refused to comply with national laws.

Previously, on August 18, the Supreme Court had issued a directive in a contempt case, requiring the government to ensure that only registered social media platforms operate in the country. The order emphasized both regulatory oversight and the protection of press freedom.

With these seven provisions now in effect, unregistered platforms are barred from operating in Nepal until they complete the registration process.