Widespread protests have erupted in Tibet after Chinese social media platforms imposed a ban on the Tibetan language. Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, recently banned Tibetan, a move widely seen as part of Beijing's efforts to replace the Tibetan language with Mandarin, the dominant language of mainland China.

Tibetan netizen Youga Ga accused the Beijing government of being behind the ban on Douyin. "What is the rationale behind Douyin Company banning our language? Aren't all ethnicities supposed to be equal? Why, then, is the use of our Tibetan language being restricted?" he asked. Many are questioning the justification for the ban. A Tibetan woman remarked, "I am a native Tibetan speaker and cannot speak perfect Chinese. Why am I not allowed to post in my native language?"

Popular global social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram are already banned in China. Local Chinese apps like Bilibili, Kuaishou, and Talkmate have also banned the Tibetan language, leaving Tibetans with very limited options. One user wrote on X, "The ban on using the Tibetan language on Douyin raises concerns about digital freedoms and cultural autonomy, significantly impacting Tibetan users' livelihoods and identity, amidst broader efforts by China to assimilate minority nationalities into the Han Chinese population."

Tibetans have expressed that the ban will severely impact illiterate and elderly people who do not understand Chinese. A Tibetan doctor said, "With the prohibition on using the Tibetan language, I am forced to use Chinese, and since my patients are Tibetan, especially the elderly and illiterate youth, including farmers and nomads, they struggle to understand me when I speak in Chinese. What is the point of speaking Chinese if they cannot comprehend it?"

Tenzin Dawa, director of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, emphasized that the ban not only prevents people from creating content but also impacts their livelihood. "Many Tibetan netizens who use these platforms to create content, share their lifestyles, or run businesses and make a living from these platforms now find it impossible to continue what they have been doing so far," she said.

Tenzin Lhadon, a research fellow at the Tibet Policy Institute, noted that challenging the ban openly could lead to harassment by authorities. "It is very difficult to openly criticize the Douyin Company and the Chinese government, as they risk detention, arrest, and imprisonment simply for criticizing them," she said. Despite this, some have approached the government for legal action against Douyin.

Dawa added that people are planning to "collectively pool money and sue the company" because the ban infringes on their constitutional right to speak their language. Tibetans have appealed to the Beijing government, citing the constitutional rights of minority communities to preserve their culture and identity, but there has been no response so far. "The authorities have been turning a deaf ear to the appeals made by Tibetan online presenters," said the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet.

Beijing has employed various methods to assimilate minority ethnic groups and their cultures. Tibet has experienced numerous inhumane, unethical, and forceful attempts by the Beijing government to suppress Tibetan culture and identity. While the Chinese government claims not to obstruct the promotion of non-Chinese languages, the Code of Conduct for Online Presenters mandates that "online presenters shall use the nation's common spoken and written language," which is Mandarin.