Some people have started raising questions about these platforms, which are operating without being listed, and are being run by the Prime Minister, MPs, and government agencies.
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According to the provisions of the 'Guidelines for Regulating the Use of Social Networks, 2080' issued by the government last year, international big companies like Meta, X, and Google should have been listed in Nepal by now. The government has been writing to these platforms for one and a half years asking them to be listed, but they have not paid any attention.
Some people have started raising questions about these platforms, which are operating without being listed, and are being run by the Prime Minister, MPs, and government agencies.
recently In an event organized by Freedom Forum, Advocate Santosh Sigdel commented on this matter and mentioned that although these companies should be listed within three months according to the procedure, there has been no progress in this regard.
'Now everyone from our Prime Minister to MPs use Facebook and X, are the accounts they run illegal?', his question was, 'Now that we are creating a situation where we have to get a license to operate a social media platform by bringing a law, will those platforms come to get a license?' ;?'
The government has drafted a law with the provision that companies, firms or organizations that want to operate any social media platform in Nepal must obtain a mandatory permit. It is mentioned in the draft that platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, WhatsApp, Viber, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc., which are currently operating, must obtain a permit within three months of the implementation of the law. The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has repeatedly contacted these platforms and formally requested them to be listed, but they have not responded. The Ministry of Communication itself has been publishing information and decisions of the Council of Ministers through unlisted platforms including Facebook.
In the 'Bill made to make provisions regarding the operation, use and regulation of social networks', the government has included the issue of obtaining a mandatory permit for the operation of social network platforms. The government has almost finalized the bill by including various provisions of fines and punishments for both platforms and general users who do not comply with the conditions . The bill, which was previously placed on the website of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology for public opinion and suggestion, has now reached the stage of being registered in the Parliament by the Council of Ministers.
According to the provisions of the social network guidelines released last year, only Viber, Vitak and Tiktok have been listed under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.
