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Nepal bans social media: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other sites blocked [1]
['Rob Beschizza']
Date: 2025-09-05
The government of Nepal yesterday ordered bans on "as many as" 26 social media sites including Facebook, X, Instagram and Youtube. The companies did not meet a local deadline to comply with registration requirements, reports Sanjeev Satgainya.
After repeated requests, the government again, on August 28, set a seven-day deadline for social media platforms to register in Nepal. That deadline expired on Wednesday night. On Wednesday afternoon, Gajendra Thakur, spokesperson for the Ministry, said that the government was hopeful social media companies would approach them before midnight. If they didn't, he said, the government would act accordingly.
"Registration" turns out to require the platforms to give Nepalese authorities oversight of the platforms—an unlikely prospect. "the oversight and control measures proposed by the Nepal government are simply too intrusive," says one expert quoted in The Hindu. The objective appears to be plain old censorship.
Since coming to power around 14 months ago, the Oli government has faced criticism for being increasingly vindictive towards online critics. Earlier this year, its move to enact a new law to regulate social media also met fierce opposition. Experts warned that, under the guise of regulation, the government was attempting to control virtually all online activity.
Another witless government about to find out what VPNs are.
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