KATHMANDU, APRIL 18
Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, stated on Friday that the Ministry has been urging Meta to establish a liaison office in Nepal to ensure the social media platform acts responsibly toward society.
Speaking at the Ninth General Convention of Sancharika Samuha, Minister Gurung emphasized the need to regulate social media platforms in the interest of national independence, geographical integrity, sovereignty, and the welfare of communities.
He noted that some platforms, including Viber, TikTok, and WeChat, have already been registered with the Ministry.
The Minister remarked that, despite the Ministry's continued efforts to persuade Meta to open a contact office in Nepal, the company has thus far ignored the request. "We will hold Meta accountable to the government at any cost," he asserted.
Minister Gurung also provided updates on legislative developments, stating that the Media Council Bill-recently passed by the National Assembly-is currently under discussion in the Education and Health Committee of the House of Representatives. He added that the proposal to establish a Mass Communication Authority is currently under review at the Ministry of Finance for approval.
He further noted that the Public Service Broadcasting entity was established to ensure that state-owned media serves the interests of the people, rather than any political party or leader.
