Islamabad, Aug 23 (UNI) Pakistans Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) conducted four operations in different areas of the country, recovering over 234 kg of drugs and arresting five smugglers, the ANF said on Friday.
Gaza, Aug 23 (UNI) Hamas on Friday said its fighters killed and wounded some Israeli soldiers during clashes in the south of the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City.
Washington, Aug 23 (UNI) Former US President and Republican nominee Donald Trump on Friday said he would make “provisions” for mixed status families such as immigrants married to citizens but did not rule out family separations as a result of mass deportations of migrants.
Washington, Aug 23 (UNI) US Vice President Kamala Harris called former President Donald Trump an “unserious” man, whose return to the White House would have “extremely serious” consequences for the United States, according to excerpts from her acceptance speech at the partys national convention.
Moscow, Aug 23 (UNI) Snipers of the Russian National Guard in the Volgograd Region killed four prisoners who took colony employees hostage, security forces told Sputnik on Friday.
TikTok, the popular short-form video app owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has faced scrutiny and bans in several countries over data privacy and security concerns. Turkey is one of the countries that has imposed restrictions on TikTok.
Background on TikTok Bans
TikTok has come under fire because of its Chinese ownership. Critics argue that the Chinese government could access user data or pressure the company to censor content.
Several countries have banned or restricted TikTok on government devices and networks, including the United States, Canada, the EU, Taiwan and India Some academic institutions have also prohibited TikTok on campus WiFi networks
Full bans on TikTok have been less common India banned TikTok and dozens of other Chinese apps in 2020 but reversed course in 2022. Indonesia briefly banned TikTok in 2018 over inappropriate content before lifting the ban.
Timeline of Turkey’s Actions Against TikTok
Turkey has stopped short of a full ban on TikTok but has imposed growing restrictions on the platform:
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October 2022 A pro-government newspaper calls for banning TikTok over data privacy concerns and cultural risks,
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December 2022: The head of Turkey’s parliament digital media committee meets with TikTok representatives and says citizens want the app banned.
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August 2023: A deputy from Turkey’s ruling AK Party calls for banning TikTok over moral concerns, saying “our nation wants TikTok to be banned.”
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March 2024: Turkey bans TikTok on government-issued phones and tablets along with blocking Netflix and other apps deemed “non-essential.”
So while there is no full ban in place currently, Turkey has taken steps to limit TikTok’s availability and use in the country.
Motivations Behind Turkey’s TikTok Restrictions
Experts cite several factors driving Turkey’s actions against TikTok:
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National Security: Turkey shares the same espionage concerns as the U.S. and other countries about TikTok’s Chinese ownership. They worry user data could be accessed by the Chinese government.
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Morality: Turkish officials have argued TikTok content does not align with Turkey’s moral code and traditional values. They want TikTok to adopt policies adhering to Turkish norms.
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Political Control: Analysts say banning social apps helps Turkey’s government control the information space, especially after opposition election wins. Limiting platforms like TikTok maintains the dominance of pro-government media.
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Public Opinion: President Erdogan’s AK Party says surveys and public feedback show Turkish citizens overwhelmingly support banning TikTok on moral and security grounds.
What’s Next for TikTok in Turkey?
It’s unclear if Turkey will move to fully block TikTok. A full ban could draw international criticism. But Turkey could expand restrictions, like banning TikTok downloads from app stores, to make access harder.
For now, TikTok remains available to most Turkish citizens, though the government will likely continue pressuring the company to comply with Turkish content rules.
TikTok is pushing back against the bans, saying it stores Turkish user data locally and does not share information with China. But Turkey remains suspicious of TikTok’s ties to Beijing and the cultural influence of its viral videos.
Is TikTok banned in Turkey?
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International government bodies including the European Commission and NATO have banned staff from using TikTok on their corporate phones, as have federal governments in countries across the globe. Here are the countries that have invoked partial or total bans on the app.
Is TikTok banned in New Zealand?
On March 17, New Zealand announced TikTok would be banned from the phones of government lawmakers at the end of the month. Unlike in other countries such as the UK, the ban doesn’t affect all government workers and only applies to about 500 people in the parliamentary complex.
Is TikTok banned in France?
On March 24, the French government banned the installation and use of “recreational” applications such as TikTok, Netflix and Instagram on the work phones of 2.5 million civil servants. The ban, which was notified through a “binding” instruction, immediately took effect and does not apply to the personal phones of state employees.
Why is TikTok banned in Norway?
On March 23, the Norwegian parliament banned Tiktok from work devices, after the country’s Justice Ministry warned the app shouldn’t be installed on phones issued to government employees.