Government lifts ban on Tiktok

Nepal government has lifted ban imposed on Tiktok, a popular social networking site with some pre-conditions.

A cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister K.P.Sharma Oli on Thursday took a decision to lift the ban on Tiktok with certain conditions, according to cabinet sources.

Tiktok will have to enter into an agreement with the Ministry of Information Technology and Communication in order to implement this policy decision. Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung talking to reporters said, “It was opened as a matter of policy. However, the company has to fulfill our conditions to implement the decision.”

Minister Gurung, also the government spokesperson, said every social network should now be listed in the ministry in accordance with Section 3 of the “Social Network Operation Guideline 2080”. After that, a point of contract should be specified as per clause 6.

Tiktok’s representatives agreed to be listed in Nepal and set the point of contract, informed the minister.

In addition, four more conditions have been set by the government. The conditions set by the government aim at supporting tourism promotion, digital security and literacy and to make public education based on information technology.

The government had decided to ban TikTok on November 12, 2023 arguing that the social networking site was responsible for disturbing social harmony in the country, a move that invited widespread criticism from the general public.