A petition calling for a complete ban on TikTok in Ukraine was submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers website on June 10, 2024. The petition’s author cited national security concerns, including disinformation and propaganda risks, as reasons for blocking the platform and its owner ByteDance, according to the petition text.
The petition, registered as No. 41/010384‑26ep on the Cabinet of Ministers website, calls for urgent measures to restrict and block TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance across Ukraine. It argues that TikTok poses a direct threat to national security by serving as a platform for disinformation, propaganda, and data security risks, according to the petition text. The petition highlights concerns that Russian special services use TikTok extensively to spread disinformation aimed at dividing Ukrainian society, discrediting the Armed Forces, and undermining mobilization efforts.
Since its submission on June 10, 2024, the Cabinet petition has gathered nearly 11,000 signatures within days, though it still falls short of the 25,000 signatures required for official government consideration.
The signature collection period is set to last three months from the petition’s launch date, according to records from the Cabinet website.
The petition also raises concerns about TikTok’s algorithmic vulnerabilities, claiming they can be artificially manipulated to promote hostile content. It warns that the platform facilitates the leakage of sensitive information, including videos and geolocation data, which could be exploited by enemy forces. The petition emphasizes that ByteDance’s ownership by a Chinese company presents additional risks. It cites China’s collaboration with Russia in the ongoing conflict and Chinese laws permitting data collection for intelligence purposes, which could enable the transfer of Ukrainian users’ personal data to foreign intelligence services.
In response to these risks, the petition urges the Cabinet of Ministers to initiate consideration by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) of special economic and other restrictive measures against ByteDance and TikTok. It also requests that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection develop technical mechanisms to block access to TikTok nationwide. Furthermore, the petition calls for legislative amendments to prohibit TikTok use on devices belonging to civil servants, military personnel, and workers in critical infrastructure sectors.
Parallel to this Cabinet petition, a separate petition was registered on March 24, 2024, on the President of Ukraine’s electronic petitions website by Nataliia Karaseva. This petition advocates banning TikTok “at least for the period of war in Ukraine,” citing the platform’s role in disseminating extensive Russian propaganda. As of March 27, 2024, it had received 1,935 signatures, with 90 days remaining to reach the threshold of 25,000 signatures needed for presidential consideration.
Political reactions have been cautious but acknowledge the petitions’ concerns. Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, told Radio Liberty that Ukraine might impose sanctions to ban TikTok if the platform continues to ignore Russian propaganda. However, he noted that “as of now the government sees no need to ban TikTok,” indicating that a full ban is not official policy. Yurchyshyn also stated in an interview with RBC-Ukraine that Ukraine is monitoring developments in the United States, where TikTok restrictions are under discussion, and could consider similar measures, though enforcement challenges remain.
Media reports indicate that while legislative work is underway to regulate social media and messenger services, including TikTok, it is unclear whether concrete plans exist to implement a full ban. Forbes Ukraine reported that separate legislation is being developed to impose new regulations on platforms like TikTok, but details have not been finalized.
In addition to national security and wartime propaganda concerns, another petition on the presidential platform calls for banning TikTok due to harmful content for children and youth. This petition argues that TikTok’s content negatively affects Ukrainian children and young people, contributing to a broader societal and moral debate about the platform’s impact.
Together, these petitions illustrate a multifaceted public campaign addressing national security, wartime propaganda, and child protection as reasons to ban TikTok. As of the latest updates, none of the petitions have reached the 25,000-signature threshold required for mandatory consideration by top state authorities, but they continue to accumulate support and attract media attention.
Comments are closed.