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

Officials invoke a Supreme Court mandate after a registration deadline lapsed to order telecom regulators to deactivate unregistered platforms.

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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

  • The Ministry of Communications directed the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to deactivate 26 non‑registered services, naming Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X and LinkedIn among those affected.
  • Five platforms — TikTok, Viber, WeTalk, Nimbuzz and Poppo Live — are registered and remain available, and authorities say access will be restored to others once they complete registration.
  • Companies were required to register with the ministry and designate a local contact, a grievance handler and a self‑regulation officer or face shutdown.
  • The government says the action targets misuse by fake accounts spreading hate, rumors and cybercrime, while rights groups and media experts call it censorship that damages Nepal’s democratic standing.
  • Officials described deactivation as beginning immediately, though some outlets reported the platforms were still reachable for a time as users warned of expected disruptions.