Nepal lifts TikTok ban after 8 months

Nepal has lifted its ban on TikTok after the app addressed concerns related to cybercrime and the regulation of its content. The ban, which had been in place for over nine months, was officially removed following a cabinet meeting on Thursday, where it was decided that TikTok's cooperation with Nepalese authorities warranted the change.

The Nepalese government originally imposed the ban in November 2023, citing the app's negative impact on "social harmony and goodwill." The decision followed the registration of over 1,600 TikTok-related cybercrime cases in the country over a span of four years. These concerns were not isolated, as several other countries have also implemented partial or complete bans on TikTok due to national security and privacy issues.

The decision to lift the ban comes after months of sporadic protests in Nepal, where TikTok users argued that the platform provided them with a significant source of income and a space for free expression. At the time of the ban, TikTok had 2.2 million users in the country, according to the Internet Service Providers' Association of Nepal.