Is the Government Preparing to Lift TikTok Ban?

Bijaya Damase

Government officials have stated that the current administration is preparing to lift the ban on the popular Chinese mobile app TikTok, which was imposed by the previous government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Following the then Prime Minister Dahal's visit to China last year, the Council of Ministers decided on November 13, 2023, to ban TikTok in Nepal, citing concerns that it was disturbing social harmony. Shortly thereafter, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) directed internet and mobile service providers to implement the decision.

While the ban on social media has been criticized for restricting freedom of expression, government officials have said that within a month of the formation of the new government, significant progress has been made towards lifting the ban. According to the officials, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has made the necessary preparations to present the proposal to the Cabinet.

"Preparations have begun to lift the ban on TikTok under the Prime Minister's leadership," a senior official from the Ministry of Communications told New Business Age, adding  "The Minister for Communications is also positive about lifting the ban on TikTok." He added that the ban is being discussed at various levels, and preparations are underway to take the proposal to the Cabinet soon.

Under Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's leadership, the government recently consulted with Nepalese representatives of TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, about the possibility of reopening the app. According to sources from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Oli expressed interest in resolving the TikTok ban shortly after becoming Prime Minister. ByteDance has already submitted its latest letter to the Ministry of Communications, stating its willingness to operate within Nepal's legal framework and requesting the ban be lifted.

Gajendra Kumar Thakur, spokesperson for the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, said that TikTok has sent multiple requests to lift the ban.

"Previously, their letters argued about financial losses and damages to Nepal, but the most recent letter is different," he explained adding, "Recently, TikTok addressed the Minister for Communications in an email, assuring full compliance with all existing policies, rules, guidelines, and procedures of Nepal and the Government of Nepal."

According to the Ministry of Communications, the latest email was sent by Ferdous Mottakin, head of TikTok South Asia, who oversees TikTok's public policy and government relations. He had previously written to both the Prime Minister of Nepal and the Minister of Communications, as well as NTA, several times regarding the ban. While there is no definitive timeline for when the ban will be lifted, recent discussions have been positive, Thakur said. He noted that the Ministry of Communication is holding necessary discussions, and positive outcomes are expected soon.

After the government banned TikTok last year, 14 separate petitions were filed in the Supreme Court, arguing that the decision violated freedom of expression. The court has scheduled a hearing for September 26 to review the case.

The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC), a representative organization for mobile apps, internet, and social media companies like Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon, Yahoo, LinkedIn, Rakuten, and Spotify, sent a letter to the Government of Nepal, stating that banning TikTok and monitoring other apps without proper legal provisions goes against international practices.

The ban affected creative earners and businesspeople who relied on TikTok. There were also concerns about the misuse of TikTok to spread obscenity. Before the ban, there were approximately 2.2 million Nepali TikTok users in 2022, according to digital data monitoring companies.

TikTok's representatives and high-ranking officials have repeatedly requested the Ministry of Communications to lift the ban. Recently, Chinese Ambassador Chen Song also expressed concern about the ban during a political meeting. When Ambassador Song met with then-Prime Minister Dahal and raised objections to the ban, Dahal responded that the ban was imposed with social sensitivities in mind and not for any political reason. Although the Government of Nepal has banned TikTok, many users continue to access the app using VPNs.