01 November 2024 | 17:41

Government of Kazakhstan responded to the proposal to block TikTok

Photo:depositphotos.com / Daniel.Constante

Tengrinews.kz - The government has responded to the proposal by Senate Deputy Gennady Shipovskikh to block TikTok in Kazakhstan, which was directed to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.

Recall that the deputy previously demanded the blocking of TikTok in Kazakhstan. In his opinion, many countries partially ban this platform because "some content on TikTok can negatively affect children's behavior and lead to false ideals and addiction," as well as concerns over data security and the need to maintain public stability in the country.

In the government’s response, it is stated that ongoing work is being conducted with the official TikTok representation.

"To protect younger users from harmful content, TikTok has implemented a registration process that includes a date of birth, as the platform is not intended for users under the age of 13. An algorithm has also been introduced to identify and limit dangerous content with both automatic and manual moderation," the response states.

Additionally, automatic moderation recognizes certain types of content that violate established uniform rules (TikTok usage standards) and allows for prompt action to be taken.

"The second method of content moderation involves user complaints through the 'report' function on an account, video, or comment. Moderators review local content and remove it when it poses a threat to users. The platform regularly trains moderators," the response explains.

It is noted that according to TikTok's official position, the safety of the local community is an absolute priority for the platform.

"TikTok has become the first major platform to publicly disclose the number of accounts removed due to users being under the age of 13. From January to August 2024, 1,239,635 such accounts were deleted in Kazakhstan, and for the entire previous year, 1,842,467," the statement emphasizes.

Furthermore, according to the government's response, TikTok has a 12+ rating in the App Store and Google Play, allowing parents to block the app from being downloaded by children under 13 through "Parental Controls." For teenagers over 13, the platform offers "Family Pairing" that allow parents to monitor screen time, account privacy, direct messages, and other parameters.

"The government is focused on reducing the negative impact of social networks, including TikTok, on children's worldview and moral upbringing. It is understood that youth issues are not limited to social networks. Social networks serve an important communicative function and contain a lot of educational content. The Ministries of Education, Culture, and Information, together with TikTok, are implementing successful educational projects," the response states.

At the same time, online platforms in general comply with the laws "on online platforms and online advertising" and "on the protection of children from harmful information," and they also follow information security regulations, which are being improved to reduce potential risks and prevent threats.

"The authorized body, together with law enforcement agencies, regularly holds meetings with representatives of TikTok to enhance the algorithms for detecting and removing illegal content. Proposals for new technologies to strengthen moderation are being developed. Work in this direction is ongoing," the government's response to the deputy's request reads.

It is also noted that the issue of creating a special app similar to YouTube Kids is not currently being considered, as TikTok is not intended for children under the age of 13.

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