The Chairman of the Kyrgyz State Tax Service, Almambet Shikmamatov, stated that he supports lifting the restriction imposed on the social network TikTok in the country. He made this announcement today, June 17, during a meeting with journalists and bloggers.
According to Shikmamatov, the goal pursued by blocking TikTok is not being achieved, as users continue to use the platform through VPN services.
"People are still watching TikTok via VPN. There is no escaping this. If a vote were held on this issue, I would vote in favor of unblocking TikTok," he said.
The head of the State Tax Service emphasized that digital platforms have become an important part of the economy today, especially as young people create content and earn income without state assistance.
He also stated that the possibilities for fully implementing YouTube monetization in Kyrgyzstan are being discussed. According to him, this issue was also raised with Donyor Omonaliev, a representative of the Creative Industries Park.
Shikmamatov noted that by strengthening cooperation with Google and actively promoting Kyrgyzstan on the international stage, YouTube monetization could be enabled for users in the country.
"Today, many Kyrgyz citizens are creating high-quality content. However, they do not have the opportunity to fully earn income through YouTube. We must work to ensure that monetization is also opened for Kyrgyzstan," he said.
In his view, blogging activities, the creative industry, and digital content production may become one of the important sectors of the country's economy in the future, increasing revenues to the state budget.
