Kazakhstan's Minister of Culture and Information, Aida Balaeva, has raised the possibility of blocking TikTok due to the spread of illegal content on the platform. Experts have deliberated on the potential harms of the popular app.
The proposal to block the country's most popular youth social network was put forward by members of the Mazhilis Parliament. Deputy Erlan Sairov submitted a parliamentary request to the Prime Minister on April 22, 2024, regarding this matter.
Deputy Sairov expressed concerns about the negative impact of TikTok on children, highlighting the promotion of harmful habits and behaviors through the platform. He emphasized the need to address the content that influences youth negatively.
Minister Aida Balaeva also voiced support for potentially blocking TikTok entirely, citing a wide range of harmful content circulating on social media platforms, including drug promotion, pornography, cyberbullying, extremist and religious materials.
The debate on whether TikTok poses a greater threat compared to other social networks like Telegram or VKontakte has emerged. Legal expert Alexander Kaplan argued that all social networks can potentially disseminate harmful content and emphasized the importance of working with platform management to moderate information.
Kaplan also highlighted the economic repercussions of banning TikTok, noting that many legitimate users rely on the platform for income generation. The potential loss of livelihood for these users could lead to legal challenges seeking compensation for lost earnings.
The discussion on banning TikTok in Kazakhstan has sparked comparisons with neighboring countries like Kyrgyzstan, where recent restrictions on the app have generated debates on the impact on the country's image and economy.
Former Kyrgyz ombudsman Atyr Abdrakhmatova criticized the ban on TikTok, questioning the government's rationale and highlighting the potential circumvention of restrictions through VPNs by the youth.
The use of artificial intelligence to analyze the situation revealed a nuanced perspective, suggesting a cautious approach to considering the ban on TikTok in Kazakhstan. The AI recommended thorough content moderation and research on the platform's societal impact before making a decision.
As Kazakhstan deliberates on the fate of TikTok, officials are urged to conduct a comprehensive assessment of all aspects involved before reaching a final decision on whether to block access to the platform for Kazakhstani users.
