Minister Gurung warns Meta to register in Nepal within a week or face disruption

KATHMANDU: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has warned that Meta’s access to Nepal will be disrupted if the company does not officially register in the country.

Speaking at a departmental-level interaction on the right to information, organised by the National Information Commission (NIC) in Kathmandu today, the Minister criticised Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram, for failing to respond to the government’s official letter regarding registration. “If it fails to complete the registration within a week, it will be shut down,” he said.

The Minister stated that it is unethical for companies to operate in a country without complying with its laws. He mentioned that efforts are underway at the Ministry’s secretary level to encourage Meta to establish a local centre in Nepal. He pointed out that platforms such as TikTok and Viber are already registered in the country.

Minister Gurung called on other social media platforms to register, asserting that it would help regulate their operations and make them accountable to society. He further revealed that a Bill regarding the operation of social media platforms is currently in the process of parliamentary approval.

He stressed the importance of regulating activities that undermine social goodwill, promote offences, invade personal privacy, or threaten national integrity and independence in the name of freedom. The Bill aims to ensure the systematic and responsible operation of social platforms.

The Minister emphasised the right to information as a crucial tool for promoting citizens’ fundamental rights, including good governance. He urged the NIC to enhance its efforts to protect this right and to prevent the misuse of information provided upon request.

NIC Chief Information Commissioner Dr Suresh Prasad Acharya underlined that transparency, the right to information, and good governance are essential pillars of democracy. He stated that information providers and seekers are equal partners in this process. Acharya encouraged public officials to abandon the belief that disclosing information of public interest would lead to backlash.

Information Commissioner Gagan Bista emphasised that public entities should not seek excuses to withhold information of public interest. Information Commissioner Durga Bhandari Pudel urged NIC Information Officer Sudarshan Dhakal to adopt a flexible approach in facilitating the disclosure of public interest information in a conducive environment.

By RSS