KATHMANDU, May 13: The government has softened its stance toward Facebook’s registration in the country after repeated extensions failed to bring the platform into any official registration process.
Following the expiration of the initial one-month deadline on March 20 and a subsequent one-week extension, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has now decided not to set any further deadlines. However, officials maintain that Facebook’s parent company, Meta, will eventually be required to register.
Facebook for the public
“There will be no new deadline, but Meta and similar companies must register sooner or later,” said Gajendra Kumar Thakur, spokesperson for the Ministry, “We’ve received unofficial reports that Facebook is undergoing internal restructuring, which could be delaying their move. Regardless, registration is inevitable.”
Earlier, Communication Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung had warned that the government might block Meta if it failed to comply with registration requirements.
So far, platforms like TikTok, Viber, SARL, and Saransh Media Lab have completed their registration in Nepal, while major global players like Meta remain unregistered.
The government introduced the “Directive on Regulating the Use of Social Media, 2080” to mandate the listing of social media companies with the Ministry, establish a local contact point, appoint grievance officers, and enforce self-regulation standards. Despite multiple attempts, several large platforms have yet to follow through.
