The Nepali government has decided to ban the popular video-sharing app TikTok, citing concerns over content affecting “social harmony.” This decision is part of a growing trend of regulators in various countries seeking to restrict access to the platform due to increasing scrutiny over security and data concerns.
The decision to remove TikTok from Nepalian phones was made during the cabinet meeting on Monday, as stated by Rekha Sharma, Nepal’s communications and information technology minister. One of the primary concerns cited for banning the app was its adverse social effects and the spread of hate speech, which disrupts family structures and social relations.
The Nepali government’s decision comes as regulators worldwide are escalating their efforts to restrict access to TikTok, citing national security concerns and worries about the platform’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In the United States, federal agencies have been ordered to delete TikTok from all government devices, and similar restrictions have been implemented in the European Union and Canada.
Experts and officials have expressed concerns that the CCP could use TikTok to harvest personal data from Americans for espionage operations or to shape their perceptions favorably to the Chinese regime. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have urged caution and some have even pushed for a federal ban on TikTok due to its ties to ByteDance and the CCP.
India had already imposed a nationwide ban on TikTok in 2020, following a deadly border clash with China. The Indian government deemed the app “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, security of state and public order.” These actions reflect a global trend of increased scrutiny and restrictions on TikTok over security and data concerns.