Nepal has officially banned the popular video-sharing platform TikTok, citing concerns that its content was “detrimental to social harmony.”
The decision follows the recent introduction of a rule mandating social media companies to establish liaison offices within the country.
Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, informed the BBC Nepali that the ban, effective immediately, was prompted by the platform’s alleged dissemination of malicious content. Telecom authorities have been instructed to promptly implement the decision.
This prohibition echoes similar actions taken by other nations, including India, where TikTok has faced bans. Montana became the first U.S. state to ban the app, and the UK Parliament barred it from its network.
Gagan Thapa, a senior leader of the Nepali Congress, part of the coalition government, expressed skepticism about the decision. Thapa suggested that rather than imposing a ban, officials should focus on regulating the platform, emphasizing concerns about potential restrictions on freedom of expression.
TikTok, with around a billion monthly users globally, has drawn international scrutiny over data privacy concerns, with authorities questioning whether user data could be accessed by the Chinese government. ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has consistently denied such allegations. The platform has not responded to the latest ban imposed by the Nepali government.
In Nepal, where more than 1,600 TikTok-related cybercrime cases have been registered over the past four years, the platform is the third most used nationally, according to a BBC Media Action report on media usage in the country.
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While YouTube and Facebook remain popular across age groups, TikTok stands out as a favorite among younger users, with over 80% of social media users aged 16 to 24 engaging with the platform.
This ban adds Nepal to the list of countries expressing concerns over TikTok’s impact on social harmony and data security. Pakistan has temporarily banned the app multiple times since October 2020, and Indonesia recently shut down its TikTok-related online shopping service.
