The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) has called on the Nepal government to implement a moratorium on the registration of social media platforms in Nepal until the Social Media Bill is finalised. In a letter sent to the Minister for Communication and Information Technology on March 12, the AIC stated the proposed legislation poses significant challenges that, if not addressed comprehensively, could render both the Directives and Social Media Bill unworkable and potentially undermine Nepal's digital economy growth. The AIC expressed concerns that certain provisions in the directive have not been addressed despite previous engagement. "We are disheartened to observe that, despite our constructive face-to-face engagement with representatives from MoCIT on January 19, and the assurances provided, our concerns on the directive have not been addressed. Of significance, we believe that the directive extends beyond the powers granted to the government under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2006, making it ultra vires granted to the government under law,” it added in the letter. The letter goes on to highlight the challenges posed by the proposed registration process in Nepal, stating: "The proposed registration process for internet companies in Nepal presents significant administrative hurdles for our members, involving the submission of confidential documents detailing user statistics, platform activities, security measures and tax information."