It has been determined by the authorities to outlaw TikTok. The Chinese-owned app will be banned, as decided by a Cabinet meeting on Monday, due to its detrimental impact on social cohesion. It is unknown, though, when the decision will actually take effect.
The government stated that although the right of free speech is fundamental, TikTok has come under fire from a significant portion of the public for supporting a hate speech trend. 1,647 instances of cybercrime have been reported on the video-sharing app during the last four years.
The subject was discussed earlier last week by representatives of TikTok, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Cyber Bureau of the Nepal Police. It is anticipated that Monday’s decision will be put into effect after technical preparations are finished.
The latest decision has come within days after the government introduced the ‘Directives on the Operation of Social Networking 2023’. As per the new rule, social media platforms operating in Nepal required to set up their offices in the country.A Cabinet meeting on Thursday had made it mandatory for social media sites such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and YouTube, among others, to open their liaison offices in Nepal.
The government last week said the measure was introduced in light of an increasing number of people complaining that the absence of the companies’ representatives in Nepal made it difficult for the authorities to address their users’ concerns and even to remove objectionable content from the platforms.
The companies will have to establish either an office or appoint a focal person in Nepal within three months of the enforcement of the directives. Likewise, the companies have to register their social media platforms with the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology. The ministry can shut down the platforms that are not registered in Nepal.The directives include a 19-point not-to-do list for the users of platforms like Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.