Kathmandu — The Nepalese government has decided to lift the ban on TikTok, which was previously imposed due to concerns over social disruption. This decision, announced at a cabinet meeting on Thursday, will be enacted under specific conditions.

Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, confirmed that the ban was lifted as a policy measure. However, TikTok must now comply with several new requirements set by the government. According to Gurung, who also serves as the government spokesperson, TikTok and the Ministry of Information Technology and Communication will need to finalize an agreement to implement the policy changes.

Under Section 3 of the "Social Network Operation Guideline 2080," all social networks, including TikTok, must now be registered with the ministry. Additionally, a contract point must be established in line with Clause 6 of the guideline.

The government has outlined four key requirements for TikTok to meet, aimed at promoting tourism, digital security, literacy, and the integration of information technology into public education. TikTok is also required to ensure proper filtering and moderation of content in Nepal's native languages. Moreover, the platform must prevent the dissemination of content that promotes social evils, crimes, or abusive language—a regulation that extends to other social networks as well.

The public and professionals alike strongly criticized the previous government's decision to outlaw TikTok, seeing it as an infringement on people's right to free speech.

The previous administration, led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, had imposed the ban on November 12, 2023, citing concerns about the platform disrupting social harmony. The decision faced criticism from various sectors, with many arguing that it was an attempt to curtail free speech.

The new conditions mark a shift in the government's approach, aiming to balance regulatory concerns with the platform's role in Nepalese society.