Nepal bans unregistered social platforms on 4 September. Image: Jonathan Raa/Sipa USA.
(The Post News) – On September 4, Nepal confirmed that TikTok, Viber, WeTalk, Nimbuzz, and Poppo Live had registered with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. Platforms that failed to meet the registration requirements, including Facebook, now face potential shutdown amid an aggressive crackdown on social media misuse by unregistered users.
The government gave social media platforms an ultimatum to register their platforms, as there is a concerning number of reports of unregistered users using social media maliciously. The government claims that users with false identities are fueling misinformation, committing cyber offenses, and threatening social stability online.
With 90 percent of the 30 million population being internet users, this has the potential to be a mass-scale problem that the government wants to nip in the bud. Companies were given until September 3 to complete registration, designate a local contact, appoint a grievance officer, and establish mechanisms for self-regulation.
The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) was told on September 4 to suspend unregistered social media accounts, though no platforms were explicitly listed. Communications and IT Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung stated that social platforms were provided ample time for registration and were repeatedly urged to comply; however, some of them didn’t. Therefore, he added, “We had to shut their operations in Nepal.“
Nepal Joins Global Trend
The move reflects a broader global trend, even within several Western countries, of increasing regulations on social media platforms to combat misinformation, protect user data, and enhance accountability. The United States had banned TikTok earlier in the year, and Australia is also attempting to enforce a social media ban for children under 16.
In Asia, Nepal joins India and China in implementing stricter oversight and regulatory measures to ensure platforms operate in accordance with national laws.
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