On TikTok Ban

Britti Aryal

Nepal’s government’s recent decision to ban TikTok, one of the widely popular social media platforms, has dumbfounded many. The application has been providing a good platform for the users to showcase their creativity, ideas and knowledge through short videos. The government’s logic that TikTok has caused disruption to social harmony and family structure is understandable in some way.  TikTok indeed has its areas of challenges, especially regarding its negative content and privacy concerns. There has always been privacy infringement on TikTok. Mishandling of information has been a matter of worry. Inappropriate unrefined content, dirty challenges and harmful trends have violated social norms and standards, too.  The targeted hateful comments pointing to the private life of a person have made users mentally ill. 

Different type of filters, lip syncs, editing tools, and moderation options has been the root of the mishandling of personal data without consent. Data security risk has been a big problem. The never-ending content features and acceptance of all kinds of content in TikTok have potential negative effects on its users of different age groups. TikTok allowing unlimited use time for users has created a great distraction for people to the outer world. TikTok has so many negative effects but it is important to note that these concerns don’t exist for all.  

TikTok has presented a diverse range of content to its audience. With the zestful user base from around the world, TikTok provided good information access in the real time. It was emerging as a good social communication network, providing the easy connectivity and connecting the country throughout the world. TikTok being a user-friendly application was full source of fun and entertainment. From entertaining contents to different video tutorials, it has been conferring educational and informative contents to its audience as well. Besides providing helpful knowledge in various fields, it was a sterling platform to promote social issues, spread messages, and awareness for a change. 

TikTok had become as a solid platform to provide great career opportunities in the concerned fields, especially content creation. Tiktok had provided a chance for startups of new ideas and plans and provided good professional recognitions for those who do not have direct access to the mainstreams. It has made users easier to find out about new ideas, products and services broadening the area of online marketing, and these interactions support an economic value across the country also. TikTok has served its audience as a source for laughter, entertainment, creativity, knowledge, ideas and provided a good career opportunity with a good source of income for many.  

Banning the social site only makes us disconnected from the outside world. Rather, we can resolve the issues and move forward resuming the sites. So, instead of banning TikTok, stakeholders and the concerned authorities should go hand in hand to regulate and monitor the application properly. Studying the negative aspects of the site, users must be alert of the consequences. Audiences need to be more concerned about the content and the consent and should not violate the rules and regulations.