Nepal has officially banned the Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok, stating that its content is deemed “detrimental to social harmony.”
This decision comes shortly after Nepal introduced a new regulation mandating social media companies to establish liaison offices within the country.
TikTok, boasting approximately one billion monthly users, has faced bans in multiple countries, including India. Earlier this year, Montana became the inaugural U.S. state to ban TikTok, while the UK Parliament excluded it from its network.
Rekha Sharma, the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, informed BBC Nepali that the ban is a response to TikTok’s alleged dissemination of malicious content. The minister emphasized that the ban would be immediately enforced, and telecommunication authorities have been instructed to carry out the decision.
However, Gagan Thapa, a senior leader of the Nepali Congress within the coalition government, has raised concerns about the government’s choice to ban TikTok. Thapa argued that it appears to be an effort to restrict freedom of expression and suggested that officials should concentrate on regulating the platform instead.
TikTok has faced global scrutiny due to fears that user data might be shared with the Chinese government. Its parent company, ByteDance, has consistently denied these allegations. TikTok did not respond to the BBC’s request for comments regarding Nepal’s recent ban.
Despite trailing behind social media giants like Facebook and Instagram, TikTok’s rapid growth among young users surpasses its competitors. Nepal has reported over 1,600 TikTok-related cybercrime cases in the last four years, according to local media. The BBC Media Action report on media usage in Nepal reveals that TikTok holds the third position in national platform usage.
While YouTube and Facebook remain popular across all age groups, TikTok’s appeal is particularly strong among the younger demographic, with over 80% of social media users aged between 16 and 24 engaging with the platform.
Notably, Pakistan has temporarily banned TikTok on multiple occasions since October 2020, and Indonesia recently suspended its online shopping service.
