Violent protests in the capital and multiple districts of Nepal have forced the government to revoke the ban on social media platforms. Since almost 19 people died and 300 people were injured in protests and scuffle with police. Nepal minister for communication, information and broadcasting Prithvi Subba Gurung announced that the government has withdrawn its earlier decision to ban social media sites following an emergency meeting of the Cabinet, according to PTI. Gurung said that his ministry has ordered concerned agencies to resume social media sites as per the demands of Gen Z.
Why did the Government take this step?
The Nepalese Government says it is not trying to curb the freedom of speech and expression by banning social media platforms. However, they were forced to take this decision by platforms since they were disobeying the orders of the government to set local offices in Nepal. Moreover, the government has asked all of these social media platforms to register with the government. The failure to register with the government within the 7-day deadline has led to government imposing a blanket ban on social media platforms.
In a speech on Sunday, Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli slammed the criticism surrounding the social media ban, saying, “The independence of the nation is greater than the loss of jobs of a handful of individuals. How can it be acceptable to defy the law, disregard the constitution, and disrespect national dignity, independence, and sovereignty?”
Which Social Media Apps are banned?
Social Media platforms had been asked to register with the government and secondly set up offices in Nepal. The banned platforms included 26 apps: Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, X, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Reddit, Discord, Pinterest, Signal, Threads, WeChat, Quora, Tumblr, Clubhouse, Mastodon, Rumble, VK, Line, IMO, Zalo, Soul, and Hamro Patro.
Meanwhile, apps like Viber, TikTok, Wetalk, and Nimbuzz were exempt from the ban because they had registered with the Nepalese government. Other platforms like Telegram and Global Diary are in the process of registration.
