Nepal Government Moves to Deactivate Unregistered Social Media Platforms

The government has decided to take a tough stance on social media platforms that continue to operate in Nepal without registration, despite repeated calls to comply. The Cabinet has resolved to issue one final public call for registration and gradually deactivate platforms that fail to respond.

Government spokesperson and Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, announced the decision on Wednesday while briefing on the latest Cabinet meeting. He stated that social media companies that neither register within seven days nor establish contact for the process will face phased deactivation inside Nepal. Conversely, those that complete registration will be reactivated immediately through directives issued by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA).

“The call for registration will be made in line with the Social Media Operation Directive 2080 and Supreme Court orders, with the objective of making operators accountable and responsible. Platforms not complying within the stipulated period will be gradually shut down, while registered platforms will be reinstated instantly,” Gurung said.

Officials at the Ministry of Communication argue that the absence of registration has made it difficult for law enforcement to obtain necessary data during investigations, as crimes through social media have been increasing. Recently, the government banned Telegram citing its use in financial crimes, although the case is currently under review at the Supreme Court. Earlier, TikTok had also been banned, but the restriction was lifted after the platform registered in Nepal.

According to Joint Secretary Gajendra Kumar Thakur, platforms such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) have repeatedly ignored requests to register under Nepal’s legal framework. At present, around 100 apps are operating in Nepal, but only five are registered. Approximately 95 platforms, including major global social media companies, remain unregistered.

The government had earlier tabled a bill on social media regulation in Parliament, which has not yet been passed into law. The draft bill includes provisions for fines of up to Rs 2.5 million for individuals operating unregistered or banned platforms in Nepal.

Under the Social Media Operation Directive 2080, all platforms seeking to operate in Nepal must register with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, which holds regulatory authority over their operation.