Nepal has moved to block public access to nearly all major social media and messaging platforms after tech companies failed to comply with the government’s sudden demand for registration.
Platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, LinkedIn, and more than a dozen others were ordered offline by the Nepal Telecommunication Authority under government direction.
Authorities justified the action as part of a Supreme Court-mandated compliance push, following a contempt of court ruling that instructed the government to regulate online spaces by requiring all digital platforms, whether local or foreign, to formally register and monitor content that officials deem inappropriate.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology issued a statement making clear the platforms were given seven days to comply with the government’s “Directive on Regulating the Use of Social Media, 2080,” and that failure to do so would result in access being revoked.
“The Honourable Supreme Court, in a contempt of court case (Case No. 080-8-0012), has issued a directive order in the name of the Government of Nepal to mandatorily list domestic or foreign-origin online and social media platforms with the relevant authorities before operation and to evaluate and monitor unwanted content. In accordance with the decision of the Government of Nepal (Council of Ministers) dated 2082.05.09, for the implementation of the said order, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has published a public notice on 2082.05.12, giving a deadline of seven (7) days to list social media platforms as per the ‘Directive on Regulating the Use of Social Media, 2080’. All stakeholders are hereby informed that the Nepal Telecommunication Authority has been directed to deactivate social media platforms within Nepal that have not contacted the Ministry for listing within the specified time limit and to reactivate them from the same moment if they are listed.”
The blackout stems from a collection of legal petitions filed over several years, aimed at reigning in unregistered digital platforms that broadcast advertising and media content in Nepal.
In response, the government introduced strict rules requiring companies to register, appoint a local representative, establish a complaints process, and take responsibility for censoring speech.
Though officials framed the demand as regulatory housekeeping, the sheer scale of the shutdown paints a much more troubling picture for civil liberties.
Prithvi Subba Gurung, Nepal’s Minister for Communications and Information Technology, said tech companies were warned repeatedly. “We gave them enough time to register and repeatedly requested them to comply with our request, but they ignored [this], and we had to shut their operations in Nepal.”
Ministry spokesperson Gajendra Kumar Thakur confirmed to AFP that the restrictions were being enforced immediately: “Unregistered social media platforms will be deactivated today onwards.”
The blocked list includes nearly every household-name platform: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, X, Reddit, Rumble, LinkedIn, Signal, Pinterest, Threads, Discord, WeChat, Rumble, and more.
Still functioning are TikTok and Viber, which completed the registration process earlier, as well as Telegram, Wetalk, Nimbuzz, and Global Diary, which are either registered or currently in the process.
The government insists access will be restored immediately once platforms comply with the demands.
