Nepal formally ends ban on TikTok, ISPs ordered to lift embargo

Kathmandu [Nepal], September 8: The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has ordered all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to lift the ban on TikTok, the Chinese video-sharing app, following a directive from the Council of Ministers.
The decision made on August 22 aligns with the Cabinet's move to reverse the ban, which had been enforced in November 2023 under the government of former Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a notice issued by NTA stated.
NTA issued a statement on Friday confirming that the restrictions were to be lifted. "As per the government's decision, made during the Cabinet meeting on August 22, to lift the ban on TikTok, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority has issued directives to all relevant internet and mobile service providers to remove the restriction until further notice," the notice read.
The directive is authorised under Section 15 of the Telecommunications Act, 1997. The ban was originally imposed by Dahal's administration following complaints of misuse of the platform.
The government had introduced the "Directives on the Operation of Social Networking 2024," which listed 19 specific prohibitions on platforms like Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
These guidelines were meant to regulate content and tackle the rising number of user complaints regarding objectionable material, as well as address the absence of official representatives from social media companies in Nepal.
However, the ban faced significant backlash, particularly from users and legal experts who viewed it as a violation of freedom of expression. A total of 14 writ petitions were filed in Nepal's Supreme Court, challenging the government's decision and seeking an interim order to lift the restriction. Although the court declined to issue an immediate stay order, the hearing on the petitions is still ongoing, the notice by the NTA stated.
The reversal of the ban came after a change in leadership, with KP Sharma Oli taking over as Prime Minister by forming a new alliance between his Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) and the Nepali Congress. On August 22, Oli's government decided to lift the ban, citing ByteDance's willingness to comply with Nepalese regulations.
In accordance with the government's decision, ByteDance has been given a three-month deadline to meet specific terms set by the Nepali authorities. The company has agreed to adhere to local rules, allowing the app, which has around two million users in Nepal, to resume operations.
The move is seen as a significant development in balancing social media regulation and freedom of expression in the country.
Despite the ban's reversal, the Supreme Court is still set to hear the petitions filed against the restriction. The court's final ruling will be closely watched as it could set a precedent for how social media platforms are governed in Nepal.
Dahal's government had defended the original ban by arguing that TikTok was causing disruptions to societal harmony. The Supreme Court's decision on the case is still pending.
Source: Times of Oman