The Central Bank aims in the middle of the “Tiktokism of Iraq” front and misses the target: The deci

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[size=52]The Central Bank aims in the middle of the “Tiktokism of Iraq” front and misses the target: The decision does not affect the broadcasters[/size]

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2024-12-01
TikTok users in Iraq were surprised by a “meaningless” decision to stop money transfers to the company’s agents inside the country, while observers confirm that social media has become a source of income for some people, which requires a conscious and flexible look that regulates the financial, commercial and advertising work of these applications, and determines what is acceptable and unacceptable, instead of completely banning financial and commercial transactions.[/size]
[size=45]Today, Sunday, the Central Bank of Iraq directed all authorized banks and non-banking institutions in Iraq to stop incoming and outgoing financial transfers to TikTok agents inside Iraq, based on a letter from the Iraqi Ministry of Communications.[/size]
[size=45]No impact on users[/size]
[size=45]Commenting on this decision, TikTok’s agent in Iraq, Muhammad Samir Al-Lami, said, “The decision will only affect me. As for people who open live broadcasts on TikTok, the money goes to their personal wallet in the application, and they have more than one way to withdraw money, including (Payoneer), (MoneyGram) and a bank account. They can also withdraw even from outside Iraq, so they will not be affected by the decision.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Lami explained to Shafaq News Agency, “The salary I receive is done through official channels through Iraqi banks, and my work is limited to solving the problems facing the application users. As for their money, it is not my job, and I do not receive or deliver any money.” Regarding the fate of his salary after this decision, Al-Lami revealed, “My future dealings will be with an Emirati bank, and therefore the decision will not have an impact on my salary either.”[/size]
[size=45]Organizing work instead of a complete ban[/size]
[size=45]For his part, Mustafa Hantoush, a researcher and specialist in the financial and banking sector, says, “Iraq does not have branches of international social media companies due to weak coordination with them, which makes these companies work through their agents, and they are mostly public offices and do not carry the status of applications.”[/size]
[size=45]During his speech, Hantoush believes that “banning transfers to and from agents of an application is tantamount to (banning financial and commercial transactions) resulting from advertisements or promotions through this application, and such a procedure is usually carried out at the request of the sectoral authority (the Ministry of Communications or the Communications and Media Commission).”[/size]
[size=45]Hantoush confirms that, “from a financial perspective, it is preferable to regulate the financial, commercial and advertising work of these applications and determine what is acceptable and what is not, instead of completely banning financial and commercial dealings, because social media applications have become an electronic market for goods, and any defect in their dealings will stop commercial activities worth millions of dollars.”[/size]
[size=45]Sources of income for some users[/size]
[size=45]In turn, social researcher Amal Al-Kabashi believes that “social media has become a source of income for some users, but some of them raise trivial and sometimes immoral topics and issues, in addition to using foul language to increase followers.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Kabashi added, “The cultural level of some TikTokers is low, and this has affected the nature of the presentation and the general culture of society. Therefore, it is noted that there are millions of TikTok followers who do not have any knowledge or awareness.”[/size]
[size=45]She added, “However, we must look with a conscious and flexible eye and take into account those who have followers, as depriving society of these services may harm it, which confirms the need to regulate this feature in a way that raises community awareness with monitoring and accountability without affecting freedom of expression.”[/size]
[size=45]A decision that makes no sense[/size]
[size=45]For his part, legal expert Walid Al-Shabli commented on the decision to stop financial transfers to TikTok agents, saying that the letter from the Central Bank of Iraq is brief and its meaning is not understood, whether for technical, political or security reasons.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Shabli added, “TikTok is a Chinese application, and the conflict between China and the United States has been going on for two decades, and is increasing as China develops and takes more control of the economy, industry, trade, and electronic devices, so there is a clear conflict that is evident in these applications.”[/size]
[size=45]Accordingly, Al-Shabli says: “If the decision is to serve one country at the expense of another, then the party harmed by the closure of these applications and preventing them from transferring money has the right to file a lawsuit before the Court of First Instance, because Law 6 of the Iraqi Code of Civil Procedure requires that anyone who files a lawsuit must have an interest and legal status.”[/size]
[size=45]He continued, “But if the decision was based on security reasons and closing an electronic loophole in the field of cybersecurity or perhaps in the field of money laundering or smuggling and what comes after that to corruption, terrorism and money laundering, then this falls within the state’s policies,” noting that “this decision came after about a year of efforts to ban the application in Iraq.”[/size]
[size=45]Iraq is seeking to block TikTok, the most widely used social media platform in the country, for its contribution to the “disintegration” of the Iraqi social fabric, according to Communications Minister Hiyam al-Yasiri.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Yasiri said in a statement, during a press conference, in March 2024, that “the Ministry of Communications submitted a request to the Council of Ministers to block the TikTok application because it has greatly contributed to the disintegration of the Iraqi social fabric and because it does not contain any scientific or educational benefit and is merely an entertainment application.”[/size]
[size=45]She added that "blocking the application does not affect any institution or education," explaining that "blocking the TikTok application is not a decision in the hands of the Ministry of Communications, but must be issued by the House of Representatives or the Council of Ministers."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Yasiri continued, "Many countries have blocked TikTok, most notably the United States of America, in addition to Canada and other countries."[/size]
[size=45]Number of users[/size]
[size=45]The number of TikTok users in Iraq has risen to 31.95 million this year, up from 23.88 million last year, outperforming all other social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, in a country with a population of 43.5 million.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Yasiri’s announcement to block the application sparked a lot of controversy between supporters and opponents, as some believe that entertainment is required, and that websites and platforms cannot be closed, wondering whether it will be followed by a ban on other applications, while others believe that the application spreads many negative effects by broadcasting clips that offend public taste.[/size]
[size=45]On March 14, the Federal Supreme Court issued a decision to block websites, Internet networks, and electronic communication applications that include the production and publication of clips that violate morals and decency, low-level content that offends modesty, transgresses against the divine self and the sanctity of holy books, transgresses against prophets, messengers, and religious symbols, insults religions and sects, and promotes and publishes immorality, debauchery, prostitution, homosexuality, and assaults and abuses others.[/size]
[size=45]For about a year, the Iraqi authorities have continued to launch extensive campaigns to eliminate those they describe as “creators of low-quality content” on social media platforms.[/size]
[size=45]Three years ago, popular calls in Iraq called for the TikTok app to be blocked in the country, but the Ministry of Communications confirmed at the time that the matter required a “special government decision.”[/size]
[size=45]freedom of expression[/size]
[size=45]For his part, the head of the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq, Dr. Fadhel Al-Gharawi, said, “Freedom of opinion and expression in all legislation, constitutions, charters and international covenants is considered one of the basic rights of the citizen, and these freedoms are guaranteed as they represent one of the basic rights that must be available to all people.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Gharawi explained in a previous statement: “However, these freedoms should not be excessive and transgress against taste, order, and public morals. Although social media sites were created to serve people and have many positives, some of them have begun to deviate from taste and public morals, especially in the use of TikTok in Iraq.”[/size]
[size=45]He stressed that “the comprehensive ban on the application is incorrect. Rather, this program should be regulated as in other countries. This regulation will help to refine what is published in the program that does not conform to public taste and morals. Therefore, the government must provide a suitable, safe and protected environment to exercise this right without banning it.”[/size]
[size=45]The governments of many countries have taken steps to ban or restrict the famous Chinese application “Tik Tok”, which has become a source of controversy in many countries around the world.[/size]
[size=45]It is noteworthy that the short video clip application “Tik Tok” was launched in 2016, and has become one of the most popular social media applications in the world, as the application has witnessed more than 4.5 billion downloads around the world.[/size]
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