Social network is platform to promote citizens' rights: Minister Gurung

Kathmandu, Sept 6: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has said the development and promotion of social network and its increasing reach to citizens would help contribute to strengthening citizen's fundamental rights including freedom of expression and education.     

Issuing a press note in the wake of official lifting of ban on the social site Tiktok on Friday, the Minister described social sites as the platform to exercise the freedom of expression, create and promote a public discourse, and spur small and medium-scale enterprises in addition to entertainment.     

 "Freedom of expressions is the cornerstone of a democratic society and a lifeline of democracy," the Minister said, adding that these digital platforms are lately being used as means of democratic exercises.     

As the government Spokesperson said the ban on the use of and access to any social site is a hindrance to the exercise of the right to freedom of expression of the citizens.     

The Minister added that the government did not want to take any move that was intended to curtail freedom of expression and opinion. Government is always committed to guaranteeing the constitutional rights of the citizens.     

He further said that the ban on Tiktok negatively affected the growth of small and medium-scale business, internet service providers lost the income and the government lost the revenue, according to the Minister's private secretary.     

Bearing these all facts in mind and following the commitments from the company operating Tiktok to make corrections in it, the government lifted the ban.     

The TikTok owner had committed to cyber security, and promotion of Nepal's tourism, digital literacy, youth employment. Effective filtering and moderation of content was also assured by the Tiktok, the press note issued by Minister's secretary added.(RSS)