- Nepal banned Facebook, YouTube, X, and other unregistered social media platforms.
- The ban follows a government ultimatum for registration; companies did not comply.
- The Nepal Telecommunications Authority will block access; users may use VPNs to bypass.
The government of Nepal has decided to ban Facebook, YouTube, X, and other social media platforms, in total 26. The meeting at the Ministry of Communication, Information, and Technology (MoCIT) which took in the presence of the communication minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, made the sensational decision.
The ban includes Meta platforms (Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, etc.), YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), etc. The list includes all the social networks that are on the registry books at the communication ministry of Nepal. Unfortunately, the decision comes a days after Meta officially opened up Facebook monetization in Nepal.
The decision to ban the platforms follows previous occasions of ultimatums from the government for registration. On Bhadra 12, the ministry issued a 7-day ultimatum to social media to register in Nepal or face a ban.
Facebook, YouTube, etc. ban in Nepal
The communication ministry decided to ban unregistered social networks like Facebook, YouTube, etc., from today (Bhadra 19, 2082). Now, the ministry has already sent a letter to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) to implement the decision.
As it stands, NTA will now direct telcos and internet service providers (ISPs) to disable users’ access to the social media apps on their networks. This is the same practice the government did with the TikTok ban in Nepal.
“Unregistered social networks will be gradually banned,” an MoCIT source has said.
Facebook, YouTube, etc., have been listed for the tax process in Nepal. However, the government demanded they be registered at MoCIT. Unfortunately, the companies didn’t make efforts for their registration. So far, TikTok, Viber, Popo Live, etc., are registered in Nepal.
Also: Effects of social media ban in Nepal on bandwidth, businesses, more
Which social media apps are banned in Nepal?
Here is the list of banned social media apps in Nepal:
- Messenger
- YouTube
- X (Twitter)
- Snapchat
- Discord
- Signal
- Threads
- Quora
- Tumblr
- Clubhouse
- Mastodon
- Rumble
- MeWe
- VK
- Line
- IMO
- Zalo
- Soul
- Hamro Patro
How will the ban proceed?
The ban might take some hours or days to come into effect. If apps are already installed, they may even continue to work, but they won’t work upon reinstallation. At the same time, users may opt to use VPN and DNS apps to bypass NTA restrictions and surf social media platforms thought that entails some user risks.
At this moment, we suggest that uninstalling the app could be a safe bet if you want to keep using the apps.
Check out: Most popular apps in Nepal | Wallet to entertainment
We are keeping tabs on the latest developments. Keep visiting the page to get all the latest information around this topic. Also, share with us your opinion on social media ban in Nepal down below in the comments.
Namakar