Explained: Why Nepal Has Banned 26 Social Media Apps Like Facebook, Instagram And X; Check Full List

Kathmandu, September 04: The Government of Nepal has enforced a sweeping ban on 26 popular social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and Snapchat, after the companies failed to register with national authorities despite repeated warnings.

The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MoCIT), following a meeting chaired by Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, directed the Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) to immediately deactivate access to all unregistered platforms.

Why the Ban Was Imposed?

The move comes in compliance with a Supreme Court order issued earlier this week in a contempt case that had been pending for nearly five years. The order directed the government to ensure that all online and social media platforms, whether of domestic or foreign origin, must register before operating in Nepal.

The government had issued a public notice on August 28, setting a seven-day ultimatum for platforms to complete their registration under the Directive on Regulating the Use of Social Media, 2080. The deadline expired at midnight on September 3, but none of the major global platforms complied.

Authorities said the registration is essential for accountability, local grievance redressal, and monitoring of harmful or unlicensed content, including foreign advertisements.

Here's The Full List Of Apps Banned In Nepal:

Facebook

Facebook Messenger

Instagram

YouTube

WhatsApp

X (formerly Twitter)

LinkedIn

Snapchat

Reddit

Discord

Pinterest

Signal

Threads

WeChat

Quora

Tumblr

Clubhouse

Mastodon

Rumble

MeWe

VK

Line

IMO

Zalo

Soul

Hamro Patro