The government has decided to shut down social media platforms that are not registered at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
A meeting convened on Thursday led by Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung decided to ban social media platforms that are not registered within the specified deadline. With the decision, as many as 26 platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and X have been shut down.
The government had last issued a seven-day deadline for registration of the social media platforms. The deadline expired on Wednesday midnight.
The government had given seven days to social media platforms to list them in its cabinet meeting on August 25. The Ministry had issued the notice for the second time on August 28.
So far, only TikTok, Viber, Nimbuzz, BitTalk, and Poppo Live have been listed.
The Supreme Court, earlier, had also issued a mandamus in the name of the government to ban unregistered social media platforms and formulate a necessary act to regulate them.
When do they stop operating?
Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung said the ministry has directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to shut down the unregistered social media platforms. When asked when these platforms stop operating, Minister Gurung said, "They will stop operating from today itself."
Similarly, taking to social media platform Facebook, Prime Minister's Chief Advisor Bishnu Rimal said they will stop functioning gradually. Meanwhile, Gurung also stated that the banned platforms will start operating immediately once they are registered at the ministry.
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