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Nepal Bans 26 Social Media Platforms, Including Facebook and YouTube

nytimes.com

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Re: Nepal Bans 26 Social Media Platforms, Including Facebook and YouTube

#11

Post by mschild »

SilverElfin wrote: post #2

Sad to see anti free speech sentiments all over the world. It was constrained to only some areas but now it’s normalized even in places like the UK. I guess with all that’s happening, Nepal doesn’t surprise me.

I'm conflicted.

On the one hand, curtailing free speech is a problem and a lot of governments have started doing it to a massive degree.

On the other hand, social networks are a cancer that are used to spread misinformation, steal information, and invade privacy like nothing else before.

In that regard I do believe that banning them is a net benefit to society, but I fear that for the most part it is done out of the wrong intentions with more sinister goals.

Re: Nepal Bans 26 Social Media Platforms, Including Facebook and YouTube

#12

Post by perching_aix »

sonicggg wrote: post #7
SilverElfin wrote: post #2

Sad to see anti free speech sentiments all over the world. It was constrained to only some areas but now it’s normalized even in places like the UK. I guess with all that’s happening, Nepal doesn’t surprise me.

Ironic to read about free speech here where a bunch of stuff gets "[flagged]" when it does not agree with the hive mind.

i believe a true(tm) free speech platform would allow itself to be flooded with spam. few spaces like that exist sadly, and they're rarely intentional :(

the worst part is that im only half joking.

Re: Nepal Bans 26 Social Media Platforms, Including Facebook and YouTube

#13

Post by DangitBobby »

sonicggg wrote: post #7
SilverElfin wrote: post #2

Sad to see anti free speech sentiments all over the world. It was constrained to only some areas but now it’s normalized even in places like the UK. I guess with all that’s happening, Nepal doesn’t surprise me.

Ironic to read about free speech here where a bunch of stuff gets "[flagged]" when it does not agree with the hive mind.

Lol. Every fucking forum has people constantly bellyache about the moderation systems. Hivemind is a dead giveaway for thoughtless criticism. It's so tiresome. If it's flagged on HN it's almost always lowest common denominator mindless drivel or flamebait. No one serious would advocate for a system where comments can't be flagged as such.

Re: Nepal Bans 26 Social Media Platforms, Including Facebook and YouTube

#14

Post by Finnucane »

forgotoldacc wrote: post #5

It's pretty strange how the floodgates opened in 2025 and seemingly every government decided to try this to some extent in unison. I wonder what their real reason is for this and how much governments discussed this together.

you don’t really need a lot of collusion. Control of the media and communication channels is a natural impulse of authoritarian goverments.

Re: Nepal Bans 26 Social Media Platforms, Including Facebook and YouTube

#17

Post by geocrasher »

perching_aix wrote: post #4

I'm doing basically the same, but voluntarily. It's a calmer life. YouTube is still going strong for me though, I have to admit.

Facebook for a couple things, IG for keeping up with friends, sharing pics with friends. And a carefully curated YouTube subscription list. Only stuff that's worth watching: People I can relate to, have no ego, and are just having a good time sharing what they do. I gravitate toward hackaday worthy stuff and off-road exploration type videos. I limit intake of news sites, and instead try to focus on living my own life, accomplishing goals that I have set, and focusing on improving myself so I can help others.

Also, being a Gen-X-er who grew up without any of this stuff, I have to snicker just a little bit at people being up in arms about a ban on things that didn't exist 20-30 years ago. I know there is FAR more nuance to it. I simply found the thought humorous at a simplistic level.

Re: Nepal Bans 26 Social Media Platforms, Including Facebook and YouTube

#18

Post by hulitu »

Finnucane wrote: post #14
forgotoldacc wrote: post #5

It's pretty strange how the floodgates opened in 2025 and seemingly every government decided to try this to some extent in unison. I wonder what their real reason is for this and how much governments discussed this together.

you don’t really need a lot of collusion. Control of the media and communication channels is a natural impulse of authoritarian goverments.

> Control of the media and communication channels is a natural impulse of authoritarian goverments.

and of surveillance capitalism. Funny how they collude with one another.

Re: Nepal Bans 26 Social Media Platforms, Including Facebook and YouTube

#19

Post by dyauspitr »

SilverElfin wrote: post #2

Sad to see anti free speech sentiments all over the world. It was constrained to only some areas but now it’s normalized even in places like the UK. I guess with all that’s happening, Nepal doesn’t surprise me.

Social media is cancer. Let’s go back to expressing free speech in the old fashioned way- at town squares and leaflets.

Re: Nepal Bans 26 Social Media Platforms, Including Facebook and YouTube

#20

Post by Fade_Dance »

whatsupdog wrote: post #16

Americans: social media is bad! It should be banned. Americans, after an Asian country does it: free speech!!!

It's almost like it's a country of 300 million people with a diverse set of views.

The group that outright wants social media banned in the US, talks down Zuckerberg, etc, by and large will be perfectly fine with other countries banning it if not celebrate it. You have built a strawman.

The "free speech" cohort is largely anti-banning. They want platforms like X, where anything goes, and are often quite militant about their views on this subject.

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