Efforts underway to establish Meta liaison office, Communications Minister says

Kathmandu, April 18: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, said on Friday that the Ministry has been asking the Meta Company to establish its liaison office in Nepal in order to make social media platform responsible towards society.     

In the Ninth General Convention of Sancharika Samuha, Minister Gurung pointed out the need of regulating social media platform for country's independency, geographical integrity, sovereignty and welfare of the community.     

Some social media platforms including Viber, Tiktok and WeChat have already been enlisted at the Ministry, he mentioned.     

The Communications Minister argued that though the Ministry has been exerting pressure on Meta to establish its contact office, it has been neglecting the request. "We will make Meta accountable towards the government at any cost", he opined.     

Minister Gurung further said the Media Council Bill, which was passed from the National assembly, is now in the Education and Health Committee of the House of Representatives for discussion, adding discussion regarding the issue of establishing Mass Communication Authority was underway at the Finance Ministry for consent.     

He stated that Public Service Broadcasting was established in order to make state-owned media responsible towards the people not in favour of any political leader or party.(RSS)