Nepal Telecommunications Authority directs internet service providers to lift TikTok ban

The Nepal Telecommunications Authority has instructed all internet service providers to lift the ban on TikTok. In a notice issued on Friday, the authority said the decision aligns with the Cabinet’s decision from the third week of August.

“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 reads.

“This directive has been issued under the authority granted by Section 15 of the Telecommunications Act, 1997.”

The government officially lifted the nine-month ban on the popular Chinese video-sharing platform on August 22. However, ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has been given a three-month deadline to meet specific terms and conditions.

Following the government’s decision to lift the ban on TikTok with conditions, representatives from the platform visited Kathmandu. On Wednesday, they held discussions with officials at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, expressing their readiness to adhere to the government’s requirements.

The government restricted TikTok after introducing the ‘Directives on the Operation of Social Networking 2023’ in November last year.
The government had said that this measure was introduced in response to an increasing number of complaints from users. The absence of these companies’ representatives in Nepal had made it difficult for the authorities to address users’ concerns and remove objectionable content from these platforms.

The directives also set forth a 19-point not-to-do list for users on platforms like Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

The directives state that no one should create fake IDs on social media or share or make comments through such IDs. Likewise, people should not post any text, audio, video or picture that spreads hatred against any gender, community, caste, religion, profession, or people from any particular group.

The directives also ban posts that promote illegal activities such as child labour, human trafficking, child marriage, or polygamy.