Nepal Blocks Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Other Unregistered Social Media Platforms

Nepal Blocks Dozens of Unregistered Social Media Platforms Including YouTube, Facebook, X, and WhatsApp






The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology’s decision to gradually disable unlisted social media networks began to be implemented on Thursday night through mobile internet service providers.

Some users reported that apps such as Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and YouTube stopped working overnight. Meanwhile, some internet service users said they did not face any issues until Friday morning.

Last week, the ministry gave social media platforms a one-week deadline to get listed, calling it the “final notice.” The deadline expired Wednesday night.

Minister for Communications, Prithvi Subba Gurung, stated that in a meeting of ministry officials, it was decided to ban unregistered social media platforms in Nepal.

Some people criticized the government for “going in the wrong direction,” saying that freedom of expression was being “suppressed,” while others defended the decision, arguing that social media companies must comply with Nepal’s laws.

General Secretary of the ruling Nepali Congress and former minister, Gagan Thapa, wrote on Facebook Thursday, “The government’s decision regarding social media is wrong. The government is going in the wrong direction and should review it.”

“Shouldn’t you register? Shouldn’t you pay taxes? Shouldn’t you comply with court orders?” wrote ruling UML party MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee, Surya Thapa, in a Facebook post Friday morning.




What Does the Government Say?




After a half-day meeting, Minister Gurung said the ministry would now proceed with implementing cabinet decisions and the Supreme Court’s order.

The minister said, “The government had given these platforms a seven-day deadline to register. If they still don’t, they won’t be allowed to operate.”

After the expiry of the deadline, the ministry on Thursday issued a short notice stating that instructions had now been issued to the Telecommunications Authority in this regard.

“…All stakeholders are hereby informed that the Nepal Telecommunications Authority has been instructed to disable within Nepal those social media platforms which did not contact the ministry for listing within the deadline, and to keep them deactivated until further notice.”

Spokesperson of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, Min Prasad Aryal, said the ministry’s letter had been received and directives were sent to internet service providers to disable unlisted social media networks.

The minister said that during this period, no one, including Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, or YouTube, had applied for registration.

Despite repeated requests and even the government’s so-called “final” deadline, a long meeting was held Thursday at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to discuss whether platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and YouTube should be allowed to continue operating in Nepal.

Prime Minister’s Chief Advisor Bishnu Rimal wrote in a Facebook post Thursday morning, “All unregistered social media and online platforms are likely to be disabled.”

Public Interest Concerns

According to ISPAN President Sudhir Parajuli, 70% of Nepal’s bandwidth consumption is through social media.

Minister Gurung acknowledged that the issue cannot be ignored, as millions of Nepalis use social media daily and rely on it to connect with relatives abroad.

He said, “It’s one thing to say people are interested, but it’s not that we don’t respect the government or constitution. We can’t just create stories like this.”

The minister further said platforms have already monetized their services but are refusing to register, which is unacceptable.

“We never said anything else. We just asked them to register. While registering, they must do three things: appoint a contact point, designate an officer to handle complaints, and assign another officer to monitor compliance with local laws.”


What Do Internet Service Providers Say?




Internet service providers said the government’s decision to disable social media platforms would create multiple complications.

They pointed out that the government has the capacity to block certain websites if directed.

Normally, users connect to the wider internet via their service provider. But VPNs create a direct internet connection between the user’s device and another computer system, allowing users to bypass government restrictions by masking their activity through another country.

In the past, reports of large-scale VPN usage emerged after TikTok was banned in Nepal.

When VPNs are used extensively, international traffic surges, which can disrupt or significantly degrade the quality of internet services.

“Content that should normally come from local servers is instead being routed through international bandwidth. That’s why cross-border streaming capacity is heavily consumed, disrupting internet services,” Parajuli said.

He added that his organization has suggested the government resolve the issue through dialogue.



Opposition From Both Government and Opposition






Leaders from both ruling and opposition parties have opposed the government’s decision to disable unlisted social media platforms.

On his verified Facebook page, ruling Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa urged the government to review its decision, saying it was “going in the wrong direction.” Instead of blocking social media based on ministry guidelines, he argued that the pending social media bill, currently under discussion in the National Assembly, should be passed and implemented.

The main opposition party, CPN-Maoist Centre spokesperson Agni Prasad Sapkota, said the government is trying to curb press freedom and freedom of expression under the pretext of regulating social media. He also demanded that the social media bill be passed and enforced quickly.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Nepali Journalists also opposed the decision. In a statement issued by its General Secretary, Ram Prasad Dahal, the federation said, “We disagree with the government’s decision, as it appears to restrict press freedom and freedom of expression.”



Does the Government’s Listing Require?






Guidelines for regulating social media use were issued in Bikram Sambat 2080 BS, outlining the procedure for listing.

According to them, companies headquartered either in Nepal or abroad must submit an application along with documents including: Articles of Association, registration certificate, updated tax clearance certificate, board of directors’ details, privacy policy, user data policy, information security policy, and a framework for grievance handling.

It is said the listing process is simple, free, tax-exempt, and can be completed online.





What Did the Supreme Court Order?







The ministry had already instructed all social media platforms operating in Nepal but not yet registered to apply online with the required documents.

Earlier, after three similar requests by the government, most platforms showed little interest in listing, except for a few. The ministry had warned that this was the “final” notice, and failure to comply would result in gradual deactivation.

The ministry also stated that the latest decision was necessary for enforcement because the Supreme Court had recently ordered the government to make registration mandatory for all domestic and foreign online and social media platforms before allowing them to operate.