Nepal’s Government has banned TikTok on all devices in the country.
It’s accused the platform of disrupting “social harmony” and spreading “indecent materials”.
The announcement follows a TikTok ban in India in 2020.
The platform is owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance.
Details of Nepal’s TikTok ban
Several countries have restricted TikTok use over security concerns, including Australia, which announced a TikTok ban on Government devices in April.
However, Nepal’s ban seems to be focused on tackling hate speech and discrimination.
Communications and Information Technology Minister, Rekha Sharma, said “social harmony, family structure and family relations” were being disturbed by social media.
Concerns have been raised that the Government is restricting social media access to limit free speech in Nepal.
Forum Freedom, a Nepalese human rights advocacy group, posted to X expressing “deep concern and disappointment” over the ban. It said the decision “lacked transparency”.
TDA reached out to TikTok but it declined to comment on the matter.
