Kathmandu - The government has decided to ban social media platforms in Nepal that fail to register in the country. 

Although authorities had earlier introduced guidelines and called for registration, non-compliant companies are now being given one final chance.

Under the Social Media Operation Guidelines 2080, platforms will have seven days to complete the registration process. If they fail to do so, they will be deactivated in Nepal. The Cabinet has also clarified that once registered, platforms can be reactivated.

Companies such as Meta, the parent company of Facebook, have so far resisted, arguing that Nepal lacks a clear legal framework to regulate social media. 

They have also objected to provisions requiring content deletion or filtering, which they say cannot be implemented.

By contrast, TikTok and Viber have already registered, while Telegram is currently in the process.

If U.S.-based companies continue to ignore the directive, platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp, and Instagram risk being shut down in Nepal.

 Since these services are deeply embedded in the country’s digital ecosystem, experts warn that blocking them could be highly disruptive. 

Still, government officials are confident the ultimatum will push companies to comply.

Despite resisting registration under the guidelines, these platforms are already registered in Nepal for tax purposes.