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Nepal has ordered internet service providers to block access to major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, after the companies failed to comply with local registration rules \u2014 drawing criticism from media rights groups and raising concerns over censorship and free expression.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Nepal\u2019s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to instruct internet service providers to restrict access to 26 social media platforms altogether. The move followed a meeting of ministry officials earlier in the day.<\/p>\n
Nepal has an internet penetration rate of over 90%<\/a>, according to data from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority. Among social media users in the country, 87% use Facebook, followed by 6% on X and 5% on YouTube, the latest figures<\/a> from web analytics firm Statcounter suggest.<\/p>\n The list of affected platforms includes Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WeChat, Reddit, Snapchat, YouTube, and X. The decision follows an August 25 directive that gave foreign social media companies just seven days to register their operations in Nepal and assign a local contact person.<\/p>\n Media advocacy groups and civil society organizations have criticized the move. The decision would \u201cseriously hinder journalists\u2019 work and people\u2019s access to news and information,\u201d said<\/a> the Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based nonprofit. The Federation of Nepali Journalists also condemned the measure, saying it \u201cundermines press freedom and citizens\u2019 right to information.\u201d<\/p>\n Thursday\u2019s decision comes weeks after Nepal\u2019s Supreme Court upheld the government\u2019s local registration requirement last month, ruling<\/a> that it was aimed at curbing misinformation. However, the court did not explicitly order the government to ban platforms that failed to register, instead directing officials to \u201cmake appropriate legal arrangements immediately, within the framework of the law.\u201d<\/p>\n Notably, TikTok and Russia\u2019s Viber are among the social media apps not affected by the latest order; the government said\u00a0these platforms have already followed the rules and registered themselves in the country.<\/p>\n Techcrunch event<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSan Francisco<\/span> \u201cIt is extremely troubling that Nepal has chosen to block access to entire social media and web services simply because they have not registered with the government,\u201d said Raman Jit Singh Chima, Asia Pacific Policy director and Global Cybersecurity lead at Access Now. He compared the approach to \u201cthe architecture of censorship seen in the People\u2019s Republic of China\u2019s Great Firewall model of digital authoritarianism \u2014 a path wholly at odds with Nepal\u2019s democratic aspirations and constitutional guarantees.\u201d<\/p>\n Communication and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung told reporters that the government had given platforms ample time to register in Nepal and had made repeated requests, including to Meta, but they did not comply.<\/p>\n Meta, as well as Google and Snap, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n Access to the platforms would be restored once they register in the country, according to a public notice<\/a> (PDF) issued by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.<\/p>\n Chima argued that \u201cNepal should publish all blocking orders, restore access, and shift to a legislative process that narrows vague prohibitions and builds in due process, transparency and meaningful consultation.\u201d <\/p>\n He added that without clear appeal or independent oversight, the directive gives the government \u201csweeping powers to suspend services, order removals, and deputise local \u2018grievance\u2019 and \u2018self-regulation\u2019 officers inside companies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat invites over-blocking and pressure on companies to take down lawful content,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOctober 27-29, 2025<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n