Government mandates Social Media Platforms to register within seven days

काठमाडौं ।

The Government of Nepal has issued a directive requiring all social networking platforms, both domestic and foreign, to register with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology within seven days. This move follows a Supreme Court order (Case No. 080-CF-0012) directing the government to regulate social media usage in the country.

The decision, taken by the Council of Ministers on August 26, 2025, mandates that any platform failing to comply with the registration process within the stipulated timeframe will face progressive deactivation inside Nepal. Conversely, platforms completing registration will be allowed to resume operations immediately.

Mandatory officers to be appointed in Nepal
According to the official notice, every social media platform must designate three representatives within Nepal:

• A Point of Contact,
• A Resident Grievance Handling Officer,
• An Officer responsible for monitoring compliance with self-regulation.

The Ministry emphasized that these appointments are crucial to ensure accountability and adherence to national digital governance laws.

Strict Action for Non-Compliance

The notice warns that failure to register or establish a contact point will result in deactivation of the platform in Nepal. Necessary directives have already been issued to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to enforce this provision.

Any company, institution, or individual intending to launch a social media platform in Nepal is also required to apply for registration in accordance with the Directives on Regulating the Use of Social Media, 2080. Applications must be submitted in the prescribed format, along with supporting documents.

The Ministry clarified that the seven-day deadline begins from the date of notice publication. After this period, unregistered platforms will be restricted from operating in Nepal. Authorities stated that the move is aimed at ensuring responsible digital engagement, strengthening grievance redress mechanisms, and curbing misuse of social networking platforms.