Nepal announced on Monday its intention to ban TikTok, the Chinese-owned video app, citing concerns about the app's "misuse" causing disturbances in social harmony and goodwill. The decision follows the recent introduction of a rule mandating social media companies to establish liaison offices within the country.
TikTok, boasting approximately a billion monthly users, has faced bans in various countries, including India. Montana became the first U.S. state to ban the app earlier this year, and the UK Parliament barred it from its network.
Rekha Sharma, the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, said TikTok was spreading malicious content, prompting the immediate implementation of the ban, with telecom authorities directed to enforce the decision. However, Gagan Thapa, a senior leader of the Nepali Congress, part of the coalition government, questioned the decision, considering it an attempt to restrict freedom of expression, urging officials to focus on regulating the platform.
TikTok has faced global scrutiny over concerns that user data could be shared with the Chinese government, an allegation firmly denied by its parent company, ByteDance.
Despite trailing behind platforms like Facebook and Instagram in overall user numbers, TikTok's growth among young people has been significant, with over 80% of social media users aged between 16 and 24 using the app. The government's decision comes as more than 1,600 TikTok-related cybercrime cases have been reported in Nepal over the last four years, according to local media.
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