Kyrgyzstan has banned TikTok in response to a request from the national security department, rendering the app seemingly inoperable in the country.
On Thursday (April 18), when a journalist from Agence France-Presse attempted to access TikTok, a message appeared stating: “Unable to load, please try again”.
TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has faced strong opposition from politicians and regulatory authorities worldwide recently. Concerns have been raised not only about the potential impact of the app on children’s mental health, but also about ByteDance’s close relationship with the Chinese Communist Party, suggesting that it may collect user data despite claims of independence from China.
The Kyrgyzstan Ministry of Digital Development announced on Tuesday that they had informed telecommunication operators to restrict access to TikTok as per the decision of the national security department. The ministry stated that ByteDance had failed to comply with legal requirements for protecting the “psychological, physical, mental, and moral development of children”.
Last August, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Culture had declared a ban on TikTok, citing concerns raised by non-governmental organizations about the harmful impact on children.
The Ministry of Culture stated that TikTok immerses users in a world of short videos, where teenagers may imitate behaviors that could endanger their lives after watching these videos.
With over 1 billion active users globally, TikTok has faced increasing restrictions in Western countries. The United States, Canada, France, the European Union, and others have expressed concerns about potential national security risks associated with TikTok.
As TikTok is being banned, in recent months, non-governmental organizations have continuously criticized Kyrgyz authorities for seeking to strengthen control over civil society. They have accused that controlling social platforms may be part of this effort.
Recently, the Kyrgyz authorities have arrested several journalists, repeatedly shut down private media, and intensified control over non-governmental organizations. The State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (GKNB) is the successor to the secret police of the Soviet era, led by the powerful Kamchybek Tashiev. Non-governmental organizations believe that this institution is expanding and becoming a threat to freedom of speech.
Responsibility Editor: Li Mu’en#