Particle.news
Download on the App Store
19 ARTICLES
·
2w ago

Nepal Orders Block on Facebook, X and YouTube After Platforms Miss Registration Deadline

Officials cite a court-backed registration mandate, promising restoration upon compliance.

Image
Nepalese police officers with a sniffer dog walk outside the parliament building in Kathmandu on January 22, 2015. Opposition protests brought Nepal's parliament to a grinding halt today, with hopes fading fast of an eleventh-hour agreement on a new constitution before a midnight deadline expires. AFP PHOTO / PRAKASH MATHEMA (Photo credit should read PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP via Getty Images)
A woman uses her phone at Bashantapur Durbar Square after the government announced it will close all social media not registered with the government saying the move was aimed at managing and making the social media responsible, in Kathmandu, Nepal September 4, 2025. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar
The Government of Nepal on Thursday decided to block 26 social media platforms for operating without registration.

Overview

  • After a seven-day grace period expired on September 3, the communications ministry directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to deactivate 26 unregistered platforms.
  • Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, X and LinkedIn are on the government list, while TikTok, Viber, WeTalk, Nimbuzz and Poppo Live remain accessible after registering.
  • Initial rollout was uneven, with some services still reachable for users on Thursday, though reports later noted outages for Facebook and Instagram on web browsers.
  • The decision follows a Supreme Court mandate requiring domestic and foreign platforms to register locally and name contacts for grievances and self-regulation.
  • Media and digital-rights groups, including CPJ and Access Now, condemned the move as a threat to press freedom and expression, as the government argues it targets fake accounts and cybercrime.