The Ministry of Digital Development in Kyrgyzstan has announced the blocking of access to the TikTok platform within the country. This decision was made based on a letter from the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic (GKNB KR).
According to the Ministry, the move was prompted by the failure of TikTok to comply with Article 2-1 of the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On Measures to Prevent Harm to the Health and Physical, Intellectual, Mental, Spiritual, and Moral Development of Children." This article specifies types of information that can be harmful to the health and development of children.
The regulatory authority for the communication industry in Kyrgyzstan sent a letter to internet providers requesting the restriction of access to the TikTok social network. This request followed a letter from the GKNB expressing concerns about the lack of a systematic and principled approach to content censorship within the Kyrgyz segment of TikTok, particularly in the children's information space.
The Ministry of Culture had previously requested the blocking of TikTok to the Ministry of Digital Development at the end of August last year. The Ministry highlighted the growing number of concerns raised by non-governmental organizations regarding the negative impact of TikTok on the mental development and health of children.
The decision to block TikTok has sparked widespread debate in both society and among experts. Some believe that the ban on the popular social network will exacerbate issues for small and medium-sized businesses, harm freedom of speech and democracy in the Kyrgyz Republic, and limit self-expression among the youth.
