Social Media Ban Effect: Talent Connect May Move to India

Talent Connect, a Nepali startup that received Rs 3.5 crore investment from Shark Tank Nepal, is facing serious problems due to the government’s social media ban. The company’s main platform, LinkedIn, is blocked, delaying contracts with major clients like GOLYAN and MAW.

Founder Divash Thapa said, “The social media ban directly affected our business. Some contracts are on hold, and big clients cannot hire through our platform. We are waiting, hoping the ban will be lifted soon.”

Currently, Talent Connect employs 10–12 people. Thapa said if the ban continues for more than a week, the startup may move to India, where platforms like LinkedIn and Meta work normally. “The government is forcing us, directly or indirectly, to leave Nepal. Running a business here has become very hard,” he added.

Thapa criticized the government for not consulting businesses before enforcing the ban. “Our entire system is online-based. The ban affects both small and large companies. Basic services like YouTube and Gmail also stop working. This step goes against the Digital Nepal campaign,” he said.