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Title: Nepal blocks most social media sites for failing to register with the
government

Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2025 13:15:12 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/social-media/nepal-b...

The government of Nepal is blocking commonly used social platforms including
Facebook, X, Instagram, WeChat, Reddit and YouTube due to noncompliance with
a new law requiring them to register with the government, The Associated
Press reported. Five platforms including TikTok and Viber that did register
in the country were exempted from the ban.

Social media companies were asked to provide a local contact, grievance
handler and person responsible for self-regulation to avoid a shutdown and
many apparently failed to do so. "Unregistered social media platforms will be
deactivated today onwards," ministry spokesperson Gajendra Kumar Thakur told
Agence France Presse.

The Nepalese government recently introduced a directive forcing social media
companies to ensure their platforms were well-managed, responsible and
accountable. The government said the bill was an effort to curb online hate,
rumors and cybercrime. However, it was widely criticized by opponents as a
tool for censorship, with some groups calling it a violation of citizens'
basic rights.

"It is not wrong to regulate social media, but we first need to have the
legal infrastructure to enforce it. A sudden closure like this is
controlling," said Digital Rights Nepal president Bhola Nath Dhungana.
Another group, the Federation of Nepali Journalists said the measure
"undermines press freedom and citizens' right to information." Also
expressing opposition was the New York-based Committee to Protect
Journalists.

Nepal is the latest government to tighten social media oversight, with
countries including the US, Europe and Brazil having done so to varying
degrees of late. Nepal's neighbor India has also mandated local compliance
officers and takedown mechanisms (and even threatened to jail Twitter
employees at one point).

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/social-media/nepal-b...
for-failing-to-register-with-the-government-131512017.html?src=rss

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