Nepal Lifts TikTok Ban After 9 Months With Certain Pre-conditions

Kathmandu: Nepal has lifted its nine-month long ban on the popular social media app TikTok on Friday, though with certain pre-conditions. The ban, which began on November 12 last year, was initially imposed due to concerns that TikTok was disrupting social harmony in the country. This decision had faced widespread criticism from the public.

In a notice issued by Nepal Telecommunication, the government-owned body, it was announced, “This is to notify all the Internet Service Providers and Mobile Service Providers that the ban imposed on TikTok has been withdrawn.” The announcement follows a cabinet decision made on August 22, which officially lifted the ban with specific conditions.

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority has directed all internet and mobile service providers to lift the restriction on TikTok in accordance with the Cabinet’s decision. 

“As per the government’s decision, made during the Cabinet meeting on August 22, to lift the ban on TikTok, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority has issued directives to all relevant internet and mobile service providers to remove the restriction until further notice,” the notice added. The directive is issued under Section 15 of the Telecommunications Act, 1997.

ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has been given a three-month deadline to comply with the government’s terms and conditions. Following the government’s decision, TikTok representatives visited Kathmandu and held discussions with officials at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. They expressed their willingness to meet the government’s requirements.

The initial ban was part of the ‘Directives on the Operation of Social Networking 2023,’ introduced in November last year. The government had implemented these directives in response to numerous user complaints and the challenge of addressing issues without the presence of company representatives in Nepal. 

The directives outlined a 19-point list of prohibitions, including the creation of fake IDs, spreading hatred, and promoting illegal activities such as child labour, human trafficking, child marriage, or polygamy on platforms like Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.