Govt calls for compulsory registration of social media platforms

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 4: The government has instructed various international social media companies or platforms to register in Nepal and designate a point of contact within the country.

Issuing a public notice on Monday, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology stated that as per the 'Directive for Managing the Use of Social Network-2023' international social media companies must register in Nepal and arrange a point of contact within Nepal.

According to the Ministry's Joint Secretary and Spokesperson Gajendra Kumar Thakur, the Ministry issued the notice as per the Cabinet meeting decision after the government tabled a Bill in the National Assembly on January 28 to regulate the operation, use, and monitoring of social media operating in Nepal. 

The Bill includes various provisions to regulate social media companies. The government has issued an official notice based on the same bill, said Joint Secretary Thakur. 

The notice further mentions that the ministry may impose a ban on social media companies that fail to register as per the directive.

"If the provisions outlined in the directive for regulating social media usage are not followed, the ministry may also prohibit the operation of social media platforms within Nepal," the notice stated.

The Ministry's notice states that social media companies operating in Nepal must assist in the promotion of tourism in Nepal, supporting cyber security and digital literacy initiatives across the country, contribute to the digital transformation of the education sector, with a focus on enhancing the quality of education in schools and colleges, and implementing appropriate technology for content filtering and moderation, especially in Nepali and other national languages cooperating with government authorities to remove unlawful and inappropriate content that disrupts social harmony 

or incites cybercrime.