Nepal’s Communications and Information Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung said that the government had repeatedly informed the two dozen most used social media platforms to register its companies, but they did not do so. Due to this, they will be blocked immediately.
Why was a ban imposed?
The government made another attempt to implement the registration on August 28. He released a seven -day time limit which ended on Wednesday night. Nepali officials have pressurized these companies to appoint a local contact person. For this purpose, the government has introduced a bill in Parliament, which aims to manage social media platforms correctly, make it responsible and accountable.
According to the government, two weeks ago, the Supreme Court of Nepal ruled that all online and social media platforms – whether domestic or foreigners, should be compulsorily registered with a competent authority. This decision provides a legal basis for the government’s action.
Criticism against government
This bill, which has not yet completed its debate in Parliament, is facing widespread criticism. Rights groups argue that it is a tool of censorship by the government, which aims to silence opponents and limit freedom of expression. Conversely, government officials say that the new law is necessary for monitoring social media and is necessary to hold users and platform operators responsible and accountable for the material shared by them.
