Nepal bans TikTok as 'detrimental to social harmony'

TikTok was banned by Nepal’s government for concerns that it was 'disrupting 'social harmony, goodwill and flow of indecent materials'.

Nepal Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma told BBC Nepali that the platform spread malicious content and that 'the ban would come into effect immediately and telecom authorities have been directed to implement the decision'. 

According to Nepali officials, no single incident triggered the ban, but TikTok was seen to have been stoking religious hatred, violence, and sexual abuse.

However, the ban prompted criticism from journalists and rights groups, who called it an 'unconstitutional and undemocratic' attempt to stifle freedom of expression.

Research, advocacy 🧮

• GlobalVoices (2023). Nepal's TikTok ban is the first step towards more government control on social media

• Freedom Forum (2023). Ban on TikTok is a violation of the freedom granted by the Nepal’s Constitution

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67411535

• https://qz.com/is-nepals-tiktok-ban-unconstitutional-and-undemocratic-1851019768

• https://www.reuters.com/technology/nepal-govt-decides-ban-chinas-tiktok-ani-2023-11-13/

• https://news.sky.com/story/nepal-bans-tiktok-over-allegations-it-disrupts-social-harmony-13008020

• https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/protests-court-appeals-nepals-tiktokers-decry-government-ban-app-2023-11-23/

• https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/in-nepals-tiktok-ban-theres-is-more-than-meets-the-eye/article67554683.ece

• https://kathmandupost.com/money/2023/11/20/internet-traffic-grows-sharply-in-nepal-after-tiktok-ban