Tengrinews.kz — Mazhilis Deputy Danabek Isabekov has raised concerns over a shortage of high-quality digital content for children in the Kazakh language, calling for stricter oversight of TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. The deputy addressed his inquiry to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva.
According to the lawmaker, teenagers spend significantly more time online during summer holidays, becoming increasingly susceptible to the influence of online games, short videos, and social media algorithms.
"We must acknowledge that today, it is often TikTok, rather than schools, that shapes the minds of our children," Danabek Isabekov stated.
The deputy argued that Kazakh-language cartoons, educational platforms, science programs, and youth media projects are currently unable to compete with the flood of content on global digital platforms.
"As a result, 'clip thinking' is intensifying, the national cultural code is weakening, and the influence of foreign culture is growing, while a high-quality digital environment in the Kazakh language fails to take shape," the Mazhilisman noted.
He pointed out a lack of Kazakh-language cartoons, popular science YouTube projects, and educational IT platforms for children in Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, monitoring of content that could negatively impact a child's psyche remains weak.
In light of this, Isabekov proposed that the government:
- develop a state strategy for the advancement of Kazakh-language digital content for children;
- strengthen online safety measures for teenagers during the summer holidays;
- improve mechanisms for restricting harmful content on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms;
- increase support for Kazakh-language animation, children's cinema, and educational media projects.
"In today's information-driven world, national borders are protected not only by territory but also by information," Danabek Isabekov emphasized.
Demand for Kazakh-language content is growing - Government
Meanwhile, the Commission on the Implementation of State Language Policy held a meeting in the government today.
Commission members highlighted the vital role of kindergartens and schools in developing language skills, stressing the need to modernize teaching methods for the state language to meet modern requirements. Consequently, the Commission Chairperson ordered the development and approval of lexical and grammatical minimums for each age group, along with the implementation of modern digital tools to ensure effective learning, according to the reports from official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan.
"According to the media sector report, the share of Kazakh-language online content in the media has reached 78 percent. The share of internet resources in the state language is approximately 60 percent. Furthermore, more than 70 percent of domestic television products are broadcast in the state language. Demand for information and high-quality content in the state language is steadily growing. Specifically, there is a rapid increase in digital content consumption in Kazakh among the youth," the publication states.
Context
In December 2025, a draft law was prepared in Kazakhstan proposing a ban on registration for users under the age of 16 on social networks and other online platforms. An exception was proposed for instant messaging apps.
Previously, the Ministry of Education supported the idea of restricting minor access to TikTok. The ministry noted that in China, children face usage time limits and are primarily shown educational content.
In 2025, it was revealed that 1.3 billion tenge was spent on the production of 47 domestic cartoons. However, none of them were released in cinemas, and most of these projects garnered fewer than 1,000 views on YouTube.
