TikTok Set to Resume Full Operations in Nepal Starting Thursday

Kathmandu : TikTok Will Be Fully Operational from Thursday. Although the government decided to reopen TikTok on September 6, the platform was not functional due to a lack of agreement between the government and TikTok. According to sources, there was no agreement on filtering inappropriate videos between TikTok and the Nepalese government.

Three representatives, including a commissioner official from TikTok’s Singapore office, arrived in Nepal on Wednesday. After discussing the conditions set by the government with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology on Wednesday, the government has decided to fully reopen TikTok.

According to ministry sources, TikTok will start operating soon. The ministry is writing a letter to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority to reopen TikTok. Once the letter is received by the Authority through the ministry, Nepal Telecom will enable TikTok.

According to the ministry spokesperson, Gajendra Prasad Thakur, TikTok has agreed to not only the conditions set by the government but also other aspects. The government had set conditions for TikTok, including registration in Nepal, appointing a contact center, assisting in promoting tourism in Nepal, having Nepali personnel for content filtering, and supporting digital security and literacy. Thakur mentioned that the representatives had accepted all these conditions.

TikTok has requested two months for registration. According to sources, since not all documents are yet complete for registration, the ministry has asked the government for 56 days to finalize the registration.

The government has instructed TikTok to cooperate with the Nepal Tourism Board for tourism promotion.

The government had requested TikTok to include Nepali personnel for content filtering, and the officials confirmed that Nepali staff are involved in filtering in Singapore. Spokesperson Thakur said, “Now, others do not understand Nepali, and it is not a matter of AI understanding. That’s why we requested to have Nepali staff. They have confirmed that Nepali staff are present in Singapore.”

Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, recently mentioned in an interview that TikTok representatives were positive about the government’s conditions.

On November 13, 2023, the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ led government imposed a ban on TikTok, citing social harmony concerns. The ban was supported by opposition leader KP Sharma Oli as well. However, Oli decided to lift the ban after becoming Prime Minister.