Nepal recently banned the use of china’s TikTok due to its concerns about its content negatively impacting social harmony. This decision coincided with the country’s introduction of a new regulation mandating that social media companies establish liaison offices within Nepal.
This is not the very first time any country banned this social media site. Previously, Pakistan has temporarily banned TikTok at least four times since October 2020. Other countries including India, the U.S. state Montana, and the UK Parliament.
TikTok has been under global scrutiny over fears of data sharing with the Chinese government, an accusation consistently denied by its parent company, ByteDance. Despite lagging behind Facebook and Instagram in user numbers, TikTok’s popularity among young people surpasses that of its competitors significantly.
Nepal has registered over 1,600 TikTok-related cybercrime cases in the last four years, according to local media reports. A BBC Media Action report on media usage in Nepal indicates TikTok has the third most widely used platform nationally. While YouTube and Facebook appeal to users of all ages, TikTok is particularly favored by the 16 to 24 age group, constituting over 80% of social media users.
