Powerful Social Media, Weak Government
Summary
Nepal's government has struggled to enforce social media platform registration requirements, with major companies like Facebook and X refusing to comply despite multiple ultimatums. A new bill pending in parliament aims to provide stricter controls.
Key Points
- The Nepalese government has issued multiple ultimatums requiring social media platforms to register locally, which have been ignored by major companies like Facebook and X.
- The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology lacks the power to enforce bans on unregistered platforms without new legislation.
- Only a few platforms like Viber, TikTok, and WeChat have complied with the registration directive.
- A pending social media bill in Nepal’s parliament proposes mandatory licenses and the ability to block unregistered platforms to enforce regulations.
