In a move that reflects shifting attitudes toward social media regulation, the Nepalese government announced on Thursday that it will lift the nationwide ban on TikTok, as reported by local media. Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, who assumed office in July and has been vocal about treating all social networking sites equally, spearheaded the decision during a recent cabinet meeting. This comes as a reversal of a ban implemented last November by the previous administration, led by former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda.
The ban was initially imposed on the grounds that TikTok contributed to societal negativity and disrupted social harmony. The government of the time aligned its stance with various Western countries that have been apprehensive about Chinese technologies, motivated by security concerns. Concurrently, the Nepalese government issued a Directive for Managing the Use of Social Networks, mandating social media companies to establish a local presence in Nepal.
The TikTok prohibition drew widespread criticism and triggered a wave of legal petitions with the Supreme Court of Nepal, arguing that the ban was unconstitutional and infringed on the freedoms of expression and information. Despite these challenges, the Supreme Court did not halt the ban’s implementation in an early hearing this year. For more details on the initial ban, refer to the previous coverage.
It’s important to note that TikTok isn’t just under scrutiny in Nepal. Similar restrictions have been implemented globally, including in the United States, Canada, the European Union, New Zealand, and Australia. In a significant development earlier this year, President Joe Biden signed a bill in April 2024, requiring TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance within nine months, or face a potential ban in the U.S. details here.
Continued monitoring of the evolving legal landscapes around social media usage is essential, given the broader implications for corporate governance, compliance, and digital policy-making worldwide.