Kathmandu — Facebook URLs have been blocked in Nepal. Access to Facebook’s web addresses has been blocked since Thursday night after the Nepal Telecommunication Authority directed internet service providers to deactivate unlisted social networks.
Subhas Khadka, CEO of ISPON, an umbrella organization of internet service providers, confirmed that the URL blocking process has begun following the government’s directive. This came into effect after the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology decided on Thursday to deactivate unregistered social networks in Nepal.
According to ISPON CEO Khadka, the URL blocking process has started since yesterday. He clarified that typing ‘facebook.com’ will not open it. ‘We have already started the process of blocking 26 of the listed ones,’ he said, ‘URLs have been blocked since yesterday. It will not open when browsing as Facebook.com.’
A URL is the address of any website. If an internet service provider blocks a URL, users cannot open that website or view its content.
The app has not been blocked. Khadka said that mobile operators and internet service providers want to work according to the same uniform standard operating procedure. “For this, we have requested the formation of a technical committee comprising representatives of the Ministry of Communications and the Nepal Telecommunication Authority,” he said. “We have tried to disable the apps by determining technical standards. If one ISP blocks it in one way and another in another way, it may open on one and close on another. We are holding a meeting today for uniformity.”
