KATHMANDU: Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has warned that Meta (Facebook’s parent company) will be banned in Nepal if it is not registered within the next 7 days.

At an interaction program organized by the National Information Commission in Kathmandu on Friday, Minister Gurung stated that although multiple notices have been issued urging Meta to register in Nepal, the company has not complied. He added that the third notice deadline had recently passed, and if the registration is not completed within the next 7 days, Meta will face a ban in Nepal.

Minister Gurung emphasized that money from Nepal is consistently being transferred to Meta’s offices, and therefore, the company must register in Nepal and pay taxes. He pointed out that Meta has boasted of having revenue greater than Nepal’s GDP, and he argued that the nation’s sovereignty cannot be tied to money.

He stated, “When we mention Meta, we are referring to Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram, all of which are widely used. Thousands of dollars are likely being transferred to Meta’s offices from our society every hour. The most-used platform in Nepal is Facebook, and our money is being sent to them. Shouldn’t they be registered here and pay taxes?”