Tengrinews.kz – The Chairman of the Information Security Committee stated that TikTok will not be blocked in Kazakhstan as long as it complies with the country's regulations.
Tengrinews.kz – The Chairman of the Information Security Committee stated that TikTok will not be blocked in Kazakhstan as long as it complies with the country's regulations.
Ruslan Abdikalikov, the Chairman of the Information Security Committee at the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry, made this remark during a Central Communications Service briefing, in response to a question about the possibility of blocking the platform if illegal content is detected or if personal data is leaked.
He noted that monitoring illegal content on the internet and restricting access to such information is the responsibility of the Ministry of Culture and Information.
"We have not yet received any complaints from citizens regarding the dissemination of personal data on TikTok. If we do discover such instances, we will first engage directly with TikTok's administration. Secondly, we will contact our colleagues under communication laws to issue an order if negotiations are unsuccessful. As a last resort, any platform in our country that refuses to comply with our legal requirements may face restrictions. This doesn't only apply to TikTok but to any platform," Abdikalikov said.
The Information Security Committee also confirmed that Telegram plans to open an office in Kazakhstan and appoint an official representative.
"As agreed during negotiations with our minister, offices for Telegram and other platforms will be opened in Kazakhstan. Overall, our Ministry of Digital Development is working with various international platforms, not just Telegram, but also with Meta and other U.S. platforms, inviting them to Kazakhstan. We are open to such opportunities," said Umitzhan Arykbekova, Deputy Chairman of the Information Security Committee.
Earlier, Senator Gennadiy Shipovskih raised concerns about the various issues posed by TikTok in Kazakhstan, including data privacy and children’s online safety.
TikTok responded to the senator's statement, emphasizing that the safety of the local community is the platform’s top priority.