The Nepalese government on Monday imposed a nationwide ban on TikTok, citing concerns over the app’s impact on “social harmony” in the country.
According to Nepalese officials, the popular app is encouraging hate speech and the spread of indecent materials. The Kathmandu Post said over 1600 TikTok-related cyber crimes have been reported in the past four years.
“Some [ISPs] have already closed [the app] while others are doing it later today,” Nepal Telecom Authority’s chief Purushottam Khanal told Reuters.
Nepal is the latest country to ban TikTok. The app, owned by China’s ByteDance, has already been banned in several countries — including neighboring India — for various reasons. In many countries where the app is banned, people turn to virtual private networks (VPNs) to spoof their location and unblock TikTok.
Nepal’s New Social Media Directive
The decision to ban TikTok comes just days after the Nepalese government issued a directive requiring social media companies to establish offices in the country. The directive, which includes a list of 19 rules, also mandates platforms to register with the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology and sets strict content guidelines.
Under the new directive, social media platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and YouTube are required to curb hate speech and censor any content that promotes harmful activities or disrespects certain individuals and groups.
“The government has decided to ban TikTok as it was necessary to regulate the use of the social media platform that was disrupting social harmony, goodwill and flow of indecent materials,” Nepal’s Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud said.
Meanwhile, Nepal’s opposition leaders have criticized the government’s decision to ban TikTok, calling for regulation over restriction. Pradeep Gyawali, a senior leader of the Communist Party of Nepal, highlighted the need for a balanced approach to managing social media.
TikTok has faced international scrutiny in recent years over concerns that it is being used to promote Beijing’s interests.
Unblocking TikTok With a VPN
While Nepal’s TikTok ban aligns with international trends, it also raises questions about the balance between regulation and free expression in the digital age.
In a post announcing that Omegle is shutting down, Omegle founder Leif K-Brooks said while social media platforms offer unparalleled opportunities for connection, learning, and growth, they also present significant challenges in terms of privacy, security and have a high potential for misuse.
If you’re traveling to a country where TikTok is banned, you can use a VPN to unblock the app. A VPN changes your IP address, effectively bypassing local restrictions. VPNs also encrypt your internet traffic, blocking internet service providers (ISPs) and other third parties from tracking your online activities.
Here’s how to access TikTok from anywhere in the world with a VPN:
- Subscribe to NordVPN.
- Download the VPN app on your device.
- Log in and connect to a server in a country where TikTok is available.
- Open TikTok and enjoy browsing!
For more news, follow us on X (Twitter), Threads, and Mastodon!
