Why is Nepal ‘angry’ and suddenly banned YouTube, Instagram, Reddit and 23 other major platforms

Nepal has directed internet service providers to block access to several major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X, after the companies failed to comply with new local registration requirements. The order has raised concerns about censorship and press freedom in the country.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology asked the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to instruct service providers to restrict access to 26 platforms. The list includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, YouTube, X, Discord, Reddit, WeChat and Snapchat.