KATHMANDU, Feb 3: The government has urged various international social media companies to register in Nepal. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT) issued a notice on Monday, instructing these companies to register in Nepal and appoint a contact person, in accordance with the directive on management of the Use of Social Media Networks, 2080 BS.
The directive requires social media companies to register with the MoCIT as per Section 3. Section 6 mandates the appointment of a contact person in Nepal. The directive allows the MoCIT to impose a ban on social media companies that fail to register.
Additionally, the MoCIT's notice requires social media companies to adopt technology for promoting tourism, ensuring security, enhancing digital literacy, and implementing content filtering and moderation in Nepal.
The government included various provisions to regulate social media companies in the bill introduced in the National Assembly on January 28. Meanwhile, the ministry issued this notice.
Various international social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, TikTok, and YouTube, operate in Nepal. However, most of these companies are not registered in Nepal.