Nepal lifts TikTok ban imposed for disrupting social harmony

KATHMANDU, Nepal — The Nepalese government on Thursday decided to lift the ban imposed in November last year on video-sharing app TikTok for disturbing “social harmony”.

The decision to lift the restrictions was taken by the government during a regular cabinet meeting on Thursday, the state-run National News Agency reported, quoting Information Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung.

The agency also informed that the initiative was initiated by Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, who issued a directive stating that all social networking sites should be treated equally.

Oli became prime minister last month after the collapse of the previous governing coalition.

The previous government imposed a ban on TikTok in November last year, arguing that it was necessary to regulate the use of the social media platform as it disrupted social harmony, goodwill and spread indecent material.

The government has also asked social media platform companies to register in Nepal, open a liaison office, pay taxes and comply with the laws and regulations of the country.

In the months leading up to the lifting of the ban, there were a number of exchanges between the government and TikTok representatives.

TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, has come under scrutiny in multiple countries over concerns that Beijing could use the app to collect user data or promote its interests. Countries including the United States, Britain and New Zealand have banned the app from government phones, even though TikTok has repeatedly denied it has ever shared data with the Chinese government and would not do so if asked.

In 2018, Nepal banned all pornographic websites.