Nepal Government Bans TikTok, Cites Negative Impact On Social Harmony

Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma said that the decision to ban the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok was made during a Cabinet meeting.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 13 November 2023 11:05 am

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In a significant move, the Nepal government announced on Monday its decision to ban the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok, citing concerns over its negative impact on social harmony. The decision was made during a Cabinet meeting, as disclosed by government spokesperson and Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma.

Sharma emphasized that the ban on TikTok will be enforced through the Ministry of Communication and IT. The government's stance, as reported by The Kathmandu Post, underscores the perceived adverse effects of TikTok on social cohesion.

This decision follo ws a previous Cabinet meeting on Thursday, where it was mandated that social media giants, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and YouTube, among others, establish liaison offices in Nepal.

While acknowledging the importance of freedom of expression, the government expressed concerns over TikTok's alleged promotion of hate speech. The report highlighted that, over the past four years, 1,647 cases of cybercrime have been reported on the video-sharing app.

Earlier last week, discussions between the Cyber Bureau of the Nepal Police, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and TikTok representatives took place. The decision to ban TikTok is expected to be implemented after the completion of necessary technical preparations.

Sharma clarified that the shutdown of TikTok will be executed promptly, with a specific deadline set for its enforcement. The government's move reflects a broader effort to address perceived challenges posed by certain social media platforms within the country.

However, Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa expressed reservations about the decision.

“The government’s decision to ban Tiktok is wrong; the government should regulate the social media site,” ruling party leader Thapa said on X.

“The government’s decision should be rectified as it violates freedom of expression and individual freedom,” he pointed out.

The decision comes as another setback for the Chinese networking platform, which has come under scrutiny in various countries, including India, the US, the

European Union and the UK, where the governments have banned the application from its network over security concerns.