Government issues public notice urging social media registration within 7 days

The government has issued a public notice directing all social media platforms operating in Nepal to complete mandatory registration within the next seven days . Including Meta-owned platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, along with other international and domestic networks to complete  registration within the next seven days.

The notice, released on Thursday by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, urges both domestic and international platforms that have not yet registered to contact the ministry within the given timeframe.

This move comes after a Supreme Court directive, issued during a contempt of court hearing, which ordered the government to ensure that no social media platform functions in Nepal without official registration. In line with the order, the Cabinet on August 25 decided to publish the notice.

According to the ministry, companies or individuals intending to run social media platforms must apply under the Social Media Usage Regulation Directive-2023. Applications need to follow the format mentioned in Schedule 1 and include all required documents.

The directive also requires platforms to appoint a local representative, an officer to handle user complaints in Nepal, and an official to monitor compliance with self-regulation measures.

The ministry has further stated that platforms failing to register or establish contact within the deadline will be progressively deactivated in Nepal. Once registered, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority will have the power to restore their services.