By Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Aug. 23: Nepal has lifted its ban on the popular Chinese-owned social media application TikTok, less than a year after it was blocked due to concerns about its impact on social harmony.
The decision to lift the ban was announced on Thursday by Nepalese Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, following a cabinet meeting.
The reversal comes shortly after Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, who took office last month after the collapse of the previous coalition government, issued a directive calling for the equal treatment of all social networking platforms. This directive was reported by the state-run National News Agency.
Seen by India as pro-China, Oli served as the country’s PM twice from October 2015 to August 2016 and then from February 2018 to July 2021. His short stint from May to July 2021 had become controversial, as his appointment as the PM by then President Bidya Devi Bhandari was quashed by Nepal’s Supreme Court as unconstitutional.
The decision to lift the ban was made after TikTok’s parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance, engaged in discussions with the Nepalese government. ByteDance assured officials that it would comply with all legal requirements, prioritize digital safety, and establish a dedicated channel for content-related requests from Nepalese authorities.
In response to the news, TikTok expressed satisfaction with the government’s decision. “The creativity and passion of our community have brought joy to households across Nepal and opened vital economic opportunities to incredibly talented creators and businesses. We’re excited to be able to continue enabling Nepali voices and creativity as we work to support the success story of Nepal,” a TikTok spokesperson said.
TikTok, which boasts over one billion monthly users worldwide, has faced restrictions in numerous countries due to concerns about its influence on young people and potential national security risks. Nepal’s neighbour, India, banned the app outright in 2020 following violent border clashes with China.
The previous Nepalese government, led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, imposed the ban on TikTok in November last year, citing the spread of content that allegedly disturbed social harmony and disrupted family structures.
The lifting of the ban in Nepal contrasts with recent developments in other countries. Earlier this month, the United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the platform of violating laws requiring parental consent to collect personal information from users under 13.
