Unregistered Social Media Platforms to be Banned in Nepal
Kathmandu – The government of Nepal has decided to ban social media platforms that fail to be registered with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
A meeting held on Thursday under the leadership of Minister for Communications Prithvi Subba Gurung decided to ban social media platforms that fail to be registered within the stipulated time frame. However, the notice released by the ministry stipulates that the banned social media platforms will be unbanned promptly after their registration.
Prior, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology notified the social media platforms operating in Nepal to promptly register for continuation of their operations in Nepal. In addition, seven days ago, the ministry issued a stern notice instructing social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, X (Formerly Twitter), to register within seven days. At the time, the ministry clearly sent out the warning that the failure to so would eventually lead to imposing ban on the unregistered social media platforms.
As per the Minister for Communications Prithvi Subba Gurung, despite the deadline for registering their platforms in Nepal ending on Wednesday, not a single social media platform approached or made an initiative to communicate regarding their registration. This consequential step of the Government of Nepal comes in an attempt to make the social media platform operators in the country more responsible and accountable. In the case of numerous crimes and fraudulent being operated through these social media platforms, even the associated authorities like the police are unable to access necessary information to proceed with the investigation. The government aims to mitigate such risks and streamline the social media platforms with the Social Media Management Directive 2080 (2023).
At a glance, the ban on the social media platforms may seem like a correct course of action. If they are not registered in Nepal, they shouldn’t be allowed to operate in the nation, isn’t that right? However, with social media being integrated with everyday life and every sector, the decision seems quite questionable. Many creators rely on these platforms for exposure, business promotion, and some even do online businesses using these platforms. Banning these social media platforms will adversely impact a good chuck of these individuals. Moreover, with the world moving towards digital existence, Nepal banning some of the most used social media platforms can seriously make Nepal lag behind in digital development. In addition, this decision can also affect the entry of other new platforms into the country, depriving the opportunity to go global with the usage of the social media platforms.
While the decision to ban social media platforms is totally justifiable from the perspective of government, there has to be some unchartered territory where both the parties can work out. The companies, that are hesitant to register in Nepal, must have their own causes, which cannot be known without proper bilateral communication. Moreover a more balanced path forward could involve encouraging Meta and other major technology companies to actively engage in open dialogue with the Government of Nepal. Through such discussions, both sides could work together to design regulatory policies that are practical, realistic, and mutually beneficial. The goal would be to create a framework that not only protects and promotes the interests of the Nepalese government but also respects the operational needs of the tech firms. At the same time, any agreement should prioritize the safeguarding of users’ personal data, ensuring that privacy and security remain at the core of these cooperative efforts.
Surprisingly!!
While the government is gearing up to ban all the unregistered social media platforms operating in Nepal, Facebook, which is still unregistered in Nepal, has listed Nepal to be eligible for content monetization. This means, the users of the platforms will now be able to earn from the content of any format that they post, as long as they are adhering to the community standards and not violating any of the rules. The content may be videos, photos, texts, reels, and even stories.
