The State Inspectorate for control in the field of informatization and telecommunications has restricted access to some social networks. Uzkomnazorat didn’t specify in its press release for July 2 which resources were subjected to restrictive measures. The login time on Twitter, TikTok and VK has increased. Users noted interruptions in the connection in the Skype messenger.
The real stimulus for the inspection’s decision was the speech of President Mirziyoyev on June 30 at the Youth Forum. “I was greatly upset by the recent not nice incidents on social networks, that is, the inappropriate actions of some ill-mannered young people, committed at the monuments of Alisher Navoi, Amir Temur, and the Grieving Mother. Where are their parents, grandparents, teachers and mentors looking, including the mahalla, responsible persons working with youth?” the President of Uzbekistan said.
If earlier the authorities practiced uncompromising and non-transparent blocking, now the work of social networks is limited on the basis of official documents. In January of this year, the authorities changed the law on personal data, the amendments obliged website owners to store personal data of Uzbeks in the country. They came into effect in April. A new procedure for exercising state control over compliance with certain conditions for the processing of personal data by citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan began to operate.
The reaction of users to the solution of Uzkomnazorat was expected; everyone started using VPN as usual. The deputy of the Parliament of Uzbekistan Rasul Kusherbayev called the law “On personal data” useless and especially noted that he was against its adoption.
The deputy is confident in the negative consequences of restricting the work of popular social networks. Users use various methods to bypass the bans, which will lead to a complete loss of control on the network. “We are forcing citizens to break the law,” said Kusherbayev. “A very funny and absurd decision in the “information age”, the same as going into battle against a tank with a mattock.”
In May, Uzkomnazorat announced a notification to Facebook, Google, Mail.ru, Skype, Telegram, Wechat, TikTok, Twitter, Yandex about the need to localize servers. So far, only Yandex Go posts personal data of Uzbek citizens on servers in the country.
“Uzbek communications workers were encouraged by the experience of their Russian colleagues,” said the ACCA expert. The speed of the microblogging service on March 10 was slowed down by Roskomnadzor and Twitter, in particular, it agreed to remove prohibited content “on a priority basis”.
The expert doubts the readiness of IT giants to yield to the requirements of Uzbekistan. “Companies like TikTok would rather ignore requests than enter into negotiations with a country whose market is not of fundamental importance,” the expert emphasized.
Blogger Ali Kakhkhorov spoke about the algorithm for calculating the possible costs due to the actual blocking of five social networks that the country may incur. Daily losses could be $ 31 million.
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