The Nepal Telecommunications Authority has recently instructed all internet service providers to lift the ban on TikTok, a popular Chinese video-sharing platform. This decision comes in alignment with the Cabinet’s decision from the third week of August, which officially lifted the nine-month ban on the platform. The authority issued a notice on Friday, stating that all relevant internet and mobile service providers must remove the restriction until further notice.
The government’s decision to lift the ban on TikTok comes with specific terms and conditions for ByteDance, the parent company of the platform. ByteDance has been given a three-month deadline to meet these requirements. In response to the government’s decision, representatives from TikTok visited Kathmandu and held discussions with officials at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. During these discussions, they expressed their willingness to comply with the government’s conditions.
The ban on TikTok was initially imposed by the government following the introduction of the ‚Directives on the Operation of Social Networking 2023′ in November last year. The government cited an increasing number of complaints from users as the reason for the ban. The absence of company representatives in Nepal made it challenging for authorities to address users‘ concerns and remove objectionable content from the platform.
The ‚Directives on the Operation of Social Networking 2023‘ set forth a 19-point not-to-do list for users on various social media platforms, including Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. Among the prohibited actions are creating fake IDs, spreading hatred against any gender, community, caste, religion, profession, or specific group, and promoting illegal activities such as child labor, human trafficking, child marriage, or polygamy.
The Nepal Telecommunications Authority’s directive to lift the ban on TikTok signifies a step towards allowing users to access the platform once again. By imposing specific terms and conditions on ByteDance, the government aims to ensure that the platform operates in compliance with regulations and safeguards users from harmful content. As TikTok resumes its operations in Nepal, users can look forward to engaging with the platform while adhering to the guidelines set forth by the government.