Lift Of TikTok Ban Delights Users

The government has lifted the ban on TikTok, a popular social media app. The previous government, led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, had banned this app because it believed that groups with vested interests routinely abused this app, posing a serious threat to the social fabric and unity. However, after a month and a half of taking office, the current administration lifted the prohibition, much to the delight of many users of this site. A cabinet meeting last Thursday removed the ban and gave TikTok's parent company three months to comply with certain terms and conditions. 

That TikTok's vice president arrived in Nepal just before the government lifted the ban indicated the importance of Nepali users to the app company. The company promised to follow the government's instructions that the video-sharing app would promote Nepali tourism, invest in digital literacy, support public education, and use dignified language.

Popularity

Founded in 2016 by the Chinese startup ByteDance, TikTok has expanded to a global user base of hundreds of millions. According to estimates, over six million Nepalis utilise this network, which allows users to produce videos on a variety of themes such as lip-syncing, dancing, humour, education, and many other activities. According to sources, prior to the prohibition, users utilised over 60 per cent of available internet bandwidth in our nation, indicating the platform's huge popularity among Nepalis. 

With its increased reach, the app has also become a venue for social, political, and religious activism, prompting several governments in the world to take the drastic step of banning the app in their countries. Some nations, including India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Jordan, and Bangladesh, have banned the use of this app. Meanwhile, the United States has placed restrictions on the use of this app but has not banned it nationwide. Some states in the USA, however, have prohibited the use of the app on government devices. Authorities offer various reasons for encouraging the government to impose restrictions or prohibitions on this platform. Many nations are concerned that TikTok, controlled by the Chinese parent company, may share user data with the Chinese government. This fear has, reports claimed, resulted in restrictions on government-issued gadgets in the United States, Canada, and Australia. 

Similarly, some users have expressed concern that TikTok gathers more data than necessary and that this data may be exploited. This has resulted in restrictions in countries of the European Union. Some nations have banned TikTok to protect children and youths from hazardous content, disinformation, and addictive behaviour that can mislead them. Countries like Denmark restricted the use of it, stating that the app posed serious security concerns. Regarding its prohibition in Nepal, the government was highly concerned about TikTok's negative impact in our society as it “threatened to disrupt social harmony as a large number of users engaged in anti-social activities and character assassinations."

The Prachanda government cited that several users with wrong motives posted offensive recordings in which they utilised or performed foul language and obscene behaviours. People, mostly social, political, and religious activists, engaged in tarnishing the image of leaders and other important members of society to further their own objectives. This was the primary factor that prompted the previous administration to enforce the ban in November last year. Now, the government has asked the app management to closely monitor such contents, to which the latter has agreed.

While other nations claimed the Chinese company's theft of data through the app, this reason was not the basis for the app's prohibition in Nepal. This was also true when the government lifted the restriction. The banning of this social media platform sparked widespread outrage in the country, with many criticising the then-government for violating people's rights to use popular media networking sites. It also breached people's democratic rights to express themselves and converse about current national and international concerns through such a network. Several other users criticised the then government's move because the app was useful for many people as it helped them expand their business, promote, and popularise their skills, products, and services to earn good returns. 

In today's digital era, platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube, and a few others, which are sometimes referred to as "new media," have become a vital part of people's lives. With these applications, users can easily access information from all around the world, including their own localities, regions, or nations. Every government in the world understands this, and they will think carefully before placing any bans or restrictions on these platforms. Because this would violate people's freedom to obtain information about topics of their choice. Nepal, like many other countries that follow democratic norms in its politics and other activities, should take this into account.

Legal provisions 

However, a government is likely to intervene when the information published and shown on these platforms endangers societal peace and stability. Our government has passed the Electronic Transactions Act, 2063 (2008), a cyber security law that establishes a legislative framework for regulating electronic transactions and combating cybercrimes. The statute provides provisions to penalise cybercriminals and safeguard victims' rights. This legislation addresses digital signatures, identity theft, intellectual property, unauthorised use and manipulation of electronic documents, and so on. The Electronic Transactions Act regulates all illegal online activity and helps to safeguard Nepali people from cybercrime. 

To sum up, lifting the TikTok ban is a welcome relief not only for those who enjoy using it for personal reasons such as gaining information and sharing views, but also for those who believe that no government should attempt to limit people's right to information in a country like Nepal, which prides itself on embracing universally recognised democratic principles. 

 (The author is former managing editor of this daily.)