Nepal has announced its decision to ban the popular Chinese social media platform TikTok, citing concerns about its ‘negative effect’ on social harmony. The country’s Communication and Information Technology Minister, Rekha Sharma, revealed that the prohibition was the outcome of a recent cabinet meeting.
According to the report of ANI, a considerable segment of Nepalese society has criticized TikTok, alleging that the platform promotes hate speech. Over the past four years, the app has been associated with 1,647 reported cases of cybercrime. A discussion involving Nepal Police’s Cyber Bureau, the home ministry, and representatives of TikTok was held last week, leading to the decision to ban the platform. The implementation of the ban will occur after necessary technical preparations are completed.
Minister Sharma stated that a specific deadline would be set for the enforcement of the TikTok ban. However, not everyone supports the decision. Gagan Thapa, the general secretary of Nepali Congress, criticized the government’s move, advocating for regulation instead of an outright ban. Thapa argued that the decision infringes upon freedom of expression and individual liberties.
This decision by Nepal follows similar actions taken by other countries, including India, the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, which have all banned TikTok due to security concerns. In 2020, India banned 59 mobile applications, primarily of Chinese origin, in response to the Galwan border clash between Indian and Chinese forces. TikTok, with nearly 200 million users in India, was among the applications banned during that period.