Nepal’s government has decided to lift the ban on the video-sharing app TikTok that was put in place last November due to concerns about disrupting social harmony. This decision was made during a regular cabinet meeting, with Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli leading the initiative to treat all social networking sites equally. The previous government had imposed the ban citing the need to regulate the use of TikTok, which was seen as spreading indecent materials. The government has requested social media companies to register in Nepal, open liaison offices, pay taxes, and follow the country’s laws.
There were discussions between the government and TikTok officials in the months leading up to the ban being lifted. TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, has faced scrutiny in various countries over concerns about data privacy and national security. Despite denying any data sharing with the Chinese government, some countries have banned the app on government phones. Nepal had previously banned all pornographic sites in 2018.
The decision to lift the TikTok ban reflects a shift in government policy towards social media platforms. By requiring companies to comply with regulations and pay taxes, Nepal aims to better control the online content that is available to its citizens.
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