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Nepal blocks Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X over rule breach, amid censorship concerns

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Nepal blocks Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X over rule breach, amid censorship concerns Jagmeet Singh PM PDT · September 4, 2025 Nepal has ordered internet service providers to block access to major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, after the companies failed to comply with local registration rules — drawing criticism from media rights groups and raising concerns over censorship and free expression.

On Thursday, Nepal’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology directed the Nepal Telecommunications

Nepal has an internet penetration rate of over 90%, according to data from the Nepal Telecommunications

The list of affected platforms includes Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WeChat, Reddit, Snapchat, YouTube, and X. The decision follows an August 25 directive that gave foreign social media companies just seven days to register their operations in Nepal and assign a local contact person.

Media advocacy groups and civil society organizations have criticized the move. The decision would “seriously hinder

Thursday’s decision comes weeks after Nepal’s Supreme Court upheld the government’s local registration requirement last month, ruling that it was aimed at curbing misinformation. However, the court did not explicitly order the government to ban platforms that failed to register, instead directing officials to “make appropriate legal arrangements immediately, within the framework of the law.”

Notably, TikTok and Russia’s Viber are among the social media apps not affected

Techcrunch event Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise. Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. San Francisco | October 27-29, 2025 REGISTER NOW “It is extremely troubling that Nepal has chosen to block access to entire social media and web services simply because they have not registered with the government,” said Raman Jit Singh Chima, Asia Pacific Policy Director and Global Cybersecurity Lead at Access Now. He compared the approach to “the architecture of censorship seen in the People’s Republic of China’s Great Firewall model of digital

Communications and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung told

Meta, as well as Google and Snap, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Access to the platforms would be restored once they register in the country, according to a public notice (PDF) issued

Chima argued that “Nepal should publish all blocking orders, restore access, and shift to a legislative process that narrows vague prohibitions and builds in due process, transparency and meaningful consultation.”

He added that without clear appeal or independent oversight, the directive gives the government “sweeping powers to suspend services, order removals, and deputise local ‘grievance’ and ‘self-regulation’ officers inside companies.”

“That invites over-blocking and pressure on companies to take down lawful content,” he continued.

Earlier this year, Nepal’s government faced public backlash over a proposed social media bill that is still pending approval. The legislation includes provisions for imprisonment and fines for posts “deemed against national sovereignty or interest.” The proposal “threatens to severely undermine press freedom and digital expression,” the International Federation of

Responding to early criticism of the proposed legislation, Minister Gurung said the government had “no intention of curtailing freedom of expression.”

However, the bill would also

A spokesperson for Nepal’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology did not respond to a request for comment about blocking decision.

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Jagmeet Singh

Jagmeet covers startups, tech policy-related updates, and all other major tech-centric developments from India for TechCrunch. He previously worked as a principal

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