Despite repeated efforts by the government, major social media platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads operated by Meta, and X (formerly Twitter)—have not shown interest in registering in Nepal.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has made several formal requests to these companies to operate under Nepal’s legal framework, but officials say there has been no response so far. “We have sent multiple correspondences to Meta and X, but they have not replied,” a ministry official confirmed.

According to Section 5 of the 2023 Directive on Regulating the Use of Social Media in Nepal, individuals, companies, or organizations operating or intending to operate social media platforms in Nepal are required to submit an application for listing with the Ministry. They must also establish a local contact point, appoint a resident complaint officer, and designate a self-regulation compliance officer in Nepal.

So far, only three platforms—TikTok, Viber, and the Nepali app BitTalk—have registered with the Ministry. TikTok and Viber are foreign-owned, while BitTalk is a domestic platform.

On March 20, the Ministry issued a public notice giving unregistered platforms a 30-day deadline to register, expiring on April 20.

At a public event in Rupandehi on Friday, Minister for Communications and Government Spokesperson Prithvi Subba Gurung warned that platforms such as Facebook and X could face bans if they do not register. “Shouldn’t they respect Nepal’s constitution? Shouldn’t they have a relationship with our government? They’ve remained unregistered till now. If they do not comply, we must consider shutting them down,” he said.

Despite this warning, the Ministry is reportedly not preparing for an immediate ban. A senior official noted, “Platforms like Facebook and X have penetrated even the lower economic strata. We are aware that banning them could have serious social impacts. That’s why our efforts will continue through persuasion.”

Meta Platforms Inc., the American tech giant behind Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, generates over 97.8% of its revenue from advertising. These platforms are widely used in Nepal, and local advertisers also spend significant amounts on Meta’s services. However, Meta has neither registered in Nepal nor appointed a local representative. Officials say Meta earns millions annually from Nepal but does not pay taxes here.

As of April 2024, Nepal had 16.37 million Facebook users—51.4% of the total population. Meanwhile, X (formerly Twitter), owned by billionaire Elon Musk, had an estimated 466,100 users in Nepal, representing 1.5% of the population. Like Meta, X is also not registered in Nepal and lacks local representation.

While Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp remain extremely popular in Nepal and generate substantial revenue, the government is increasingly concerned that these platforms are operating outside Nepal’s legal jurisdiction. If they register, they would be obliged to pay taxes and appoint grievance officers.

Although the government has faced criticism for its previous decision to ban TikTok, officials say there is no immediate plan to shut down unregistered platforms. However, continued non-compliance by these global companies remains a growing concern.