Nepal’s government has decided to lift the ban on TikTok that was imposed last November.
The ban was put in place because officials said the app was disrupting “social harmony.”
The decision was announced on Thursday during a regular cabinet meeting. Information Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung stated that the lifting of the ban was initiated by Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli. Gurung quoted Oli saying, “All social networking sites should be treated equally.”
Prime Minister Oli, who took office last month after the previous coalition government collapsed, supported this decision.
The previous government had banned TikTok because they believed it was spreading inappropriate content and disturbing social harmony. They also required social media platforms to register in Nepal, open offices, pay taxes, and follow local laws.
In recent months, there had been communication between the Nepalese government and TikTok officials.
TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, has faced scrutiny worldwide. Some countries, including the United States, Britain, and New Zealand, have banned the app on government phones due to concerns over data privacy and potential misuse by Beijing. TikTok has denied these allegations and stated that it does not share user data with the Chinese government.
Nepal had previously banned all pornographic sites in 2018.
The lifting of the TikTok ban marks a significant change in Nepal’s social media policy, with the government now emphasizing equal treatment for all social networking platforms.
