Nepal has shut off access to a number of significant social media platforms after they did not meet government registration requirements. The blocks went into effect at midnight on Thursday, and users within the country no longer have access to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, X, Reddit, and LinkedIn.
The action comes after a Supreme Court directive that all online sites must register under the Directives for Managing the Use of Social Networks, 2023. Sites had seven days to register, which elapsed on Wednesday. TikTok, Viber, Witk, Nimbuzz, and Popo Live were, however, on time with registration, while Telegram and Global Diary have filed applications pending approval.
Minister of Communication and Information Technology official Gajendra Kumar Thakur stated that any platform that would register will be restored at once. The government acted following a high-level meeting under the chairmanship of Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung attended by Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) officials, internet service providers, and telecoms operators.
Governments claim that it is necessary to monitor dangerous content and hold technology firms accountable to local laws. The government argues that a ban is necessary to safeguard users and promote openness in digital communication.
But the move has been strongly criticized. The opposition leaders and civil society members cautioned that closing down a platform used every day by millions would have severe social and economic implications. CPN (Maoist Centre) chief whip Hit Raj Pandey termed the action as rash and bound to create "chaos." He supported regulation but noted that blocking social media in the absence of an effective registration system would be detrimental to communication and trade.
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Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube are pivotal in the social, economic, and political life of Nepal. They worry that the blanket ban may compromise freedom of expression, restrict access to information, as well as impact small businesses that use social media for marketing and operations.
Though the government maintains that the registration is overdue and is a requirement for prudent digital governance, the unprecedented application has attracted the attention of concerns over the relationship between regulation and access to global online platforms by citizens. Internet users and companies alike now face a situation where they have only a few apps, such as TikTok, working.
