Why Nepal has banned Social Media Platforms including X and Meta’s platforms Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp

New Delhi: Nepal has banned unregistered social media platforms, including X and Meta’s platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), effective September 4, 2025, due to their failure to comply with the country’s mandatory registration requirements under the Social Media Operation Guidelines 2080 (2023). The government, backed by a Supreme Court order, aims to enforce accountability, regulate content, ensure data protection, and bring platforms under local legal jurisdiction, including taxation and consumer protection laws. Key reasons for the ban include:

• Non-compliance with registration: Platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube did not register with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MoCIT) despite multiple notices and a final seven-day ultimatum issued on August 28, 2025. Only TikTok, Viber, Witk, Nimbuzz, and Popo Live complied, while Telegram and Global Diary are under review.
• Regulatory control: The government seeks to monitor content to curb misinformation, cybercrime, and harmful material, requiring platforms to appoint local representatives, grievance officers, and comply with content removal requests within 24 hours.
• Legal and taxation issues: Unregistered platforms operate outside Nepal’s legal framework, avoiding taxes and accountability. Meta, for instance, argued that Nepal lacks a clear legal basis for registration and objected to mandatory content takedowns, citing conflicts with its global policies.
• Past precedents: Nepal previously banned TikTok in 2023 for “social disharmony” but lifted it in 2024 after registration. Similarly, Telegram faced restrictions but began the registration process, prompting Nepal to push for compliance through bans.

The decision has sparked concerns about disrupted communication, economic impacts on businesses and creators reliant on these platforms, and potential risks to freedom of expression. The ban is not permanent, and platforms can resume operations upon registration.