Nepal has ordered Internet service providers to block access to major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X, after the company failed to comply with local registration rules, which has attracted criticism from media rights groups and raised concerns about censorship and free expression.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Nepal directed the Telecommunications Bureau of Nepal instructing Internet service providers to completely limit access to 26 social media platforms. The move comes after a meeting of ministry officials held earlier in the day.
Nepal has one Internet penetration rate exceeds 90%according to data from the Telecommunications Bureau of Nepal. Among social media users in the country, 87% use Facebook, followed by 6% of X and 5% of YouTube, Latest figures Statcounter recommendations from Web Analytics.
The list of affected platforms includes Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Messenger, Wechat, Reddit, Snapchat, YouTube, and X. The decision follows the August 25 directive, which provides only seven days for foreign social media companies to register their operations in Nepal and assign local contacts.
Media advocacy groups and civil society organizations criticized the move. The decision will “seriously hinder the work of journalists and people’s access to news and information”, explain The Committee on Protecting Journalists, a nonprofit in New York. The Nepal Journalists Federation also condemned the measure, saying it “destroys the freedom of the press and the right to information of citizens.”
Thursday’s decision comes weeks after the Nepal Supreme Court upheld the government’s local registration requirements last month. ruling It is designed to curb misinformation. However, instead of explicitly ordering the government to prohibit platforms that fail to register, the court directed officials to “immediately make appropriate legal arrangements within the legal framework”.
It is worth noting that Tiktok and Russia’s Viber are one of the social media apps that are not affected by the latest orders. The government said the platforms have followed the rules and registered in the country.
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“It is very disturbing that Nepal has chosen to block access to social media and network services as a whole because they are not registered with the government yet,” said Raman Jit Singh Chima, now in Asia Pacific. He compared this approach to the “censorship architecture seen in the great model of digital authoritarianism in the People’s Republic of China”, which is completely contradictory to Nepal’s democratic aspirations and constitutional guarantees. ”
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung told reporters that the government has given enough time to register in Nepal and has made duplicate requests including Meta, but they did not comply.
Neither Meta nor Google nor Snap responded immediately to requests for comment.
Registration under A will access the platform once registered in the country. notice (PDF) is published by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
Chima argued: “Nepal should issue all blocking orders, restore access, and move to the legislative process to narrow down vague bans and build on due process, transparency and meaningful consultation.”
He added that without clear appeals or independent oversight, the directive grants the government the authority to “suspend services, order removal and on behalf of local “complaints” and “self-regulation” corporate officials.”
“This has caused excessive lockdowns and pressure to get companies to remove legal content,” he continued.
Earlier this year, the Nepal government Facing the public rebound In the proposed social media bill, the bill is still pending approval. The legislation includes provisions for imprisonment and fines to be “deemed as a state sovereignty or interest.” The International Federation of Journalists said the proposal “threats severely undermine press freedom and digital expression.”
Minister Gulong responded to early criticism of the proposed legislation that the government had “no intention to limit freedom of speech.”
However, the bill would also authorize the government to order social media platforms to delete certain posts, and violations could result in fines.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of Nepal did not respond to a request for comment on blocking decisions.
