The government of Nepal has made the decision to prohibit the widely used social media platform TikTok, citing its negative impact on “social cohesion” within the nation.

The decision was announced after a meeting with the Cabinet. Narayan Prakash Saud, the Foreign Minister, stated that the app would be prohibited without delay.

Saud stated that the government has opted to prohibit the use of TikTok in order to oversee its usage on the social media platform. This decision was made due to the platform’s negative impact on social harmony, positive relationships, and distribution of inappropriate content.

He stated that in order to hold social media platforms responsible, the government has requested the companies to register and establish a liaison office in Nepal, fulfill tax obligations, and comply with the laws and regulations of the country.

It was unclear what caused the ban or if TikTok had declined to follow Nepal’s demands. The company did not promptly reply to an email asking for a statement.

The popular app TikTok, which is owned by China’s ByteDance, has come under scrutiny in various nations due to fears that the Chinese government could access user data or manipulate the app for political gain. Despite TikTok’s claims that it has not shared data with the Chinese government and would refuse to do so if requested, countries such as the United States, Britain, and New Zealand have still banned the app from government devices.

In 2018, Nepal implemented a ban on all websites containing pornographic content.