The Government of Nepal has declared its intention to ban the widely-used video-sharing app TikTok, citing its detrimental effects on the nation’s social harmony. This announcement was made on Monday, Nov. 13 by the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma.
TikTok, which boasts approximately one billion monthly users globally, has been under scrutiny in several countries over concerns about data privacy violations and its potentially harmful influence on younger audiences.
Minister Sharma explained that the decision to implement the ban stems from the app being a platform for sharing content that adversely affects social harmony, family structures, and social relationships. She, however, did not detail the specific incidents leading to this decision.
Following the government’s announcement, TikTok videos discussing the ban rapidly gained popularity, reflecting the app’s significant user base in the country.
Criticism of the government’s decision was voiced by Gagan Thapa, a leader of the Nepali Congress party, a part of the ruling coalition. Thapa emphasized the importance of regulating social media to curb misuse but argued that completely shutting down platforms like TikTok is an inappropriate approach and could infringe on freedom of expression.
This move comes on the heels of a recent directive from the Nepalese government requiring social media companies to establish local offices within the country.
TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, ranks as the sixth most popular social platform worldwide and is particularly favored among younger demographics. While ByteDance has faced accusations of being influenced by Beijing, the company has consistently denied these claims. Despite facing stiff competition from Meta’s dominant platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, TikTok’s growth, especially among the youth, has been notably rapid.