Nepal Lifts TikTok Ban Imposed Over Social Harmony Concerns

Nepal’s government has decided to lift the ban on the video-sharing app TikTok, a restriction that had been in place since November of last year. The ban was initially imposed due to concerns that the app was disrupting social harmony.

This decision came to light following a regular cabinet meeting on Thursday, according to the state-run National News Agency. Information Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung confirmed that the move to lift the ban was made under the initiative of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli.

Prime Minister Oli, who took office last month after the collapse of the prior coalition government, emphasized the need for equal treatment of all social networking sites. The previous government had argued that the ban on TikTok was necessary to regulate the platform, citing issues of social disharmony and the spread of indecent material.

In addition to lifting the ban, the Nepali government has asked social media companies to register in Nepal. These platforms are also required to open a liaison office in the country, pay taxes, and comply with local laws and regulations.

Leading up to the lifting of the ban, there were several communications between the Nepali government and TikTok officials. This dialogue likely played a critical role in resolving the issues that led to the initial restriction.

TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, has been under scrutiny in several countries. Concerns have been raised that the Chinese government could use the app to harvest user data or further its interests. As a result, countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand have banned TikTok on government phones. TikTok has consistently denied claims that it shares data with the Chinese government and has asserted that it would not comply with such requests.

It’s worth noting that in 2018, Nepal also banned all pornographic sites as part of its broader efforts to regulate online content.