Mission impossible: Ministry of Internal Affairs proposed to make international social networks operate via Kazakhstani providers

According to the International News Agency KazTAG, on February 13, the minister of internal affairs Kalmukhanbet Kasymov proposed to legislatively oblige international social networks to keep all personal data of its users in Kazakhstan or to operate via local providers. He supposed that this would prevent minors from being involved in groups that promote suicide in social networks.

ADIL SOZ COMMENT:

How can this requirement be complied with if it is not determined who should follow this new rule? What internet resources should work via local providers according to the ministry? If the ministry means all foreign internet websites that local users visit, it will be impossible to put into action. If it is referred to  certain large international social networks, it is not clear what criteria should be used select them. The enforcement mechanism meant to implement this requirement is not clear as well. Since the owners of international social networks are foreign citizens the only way to make them abide the proposed requirement is to block access to those networks in the country.

By the way, the requirement to keep personal data of local users in Kazakhstan has already been adopted, but it is not fulfilled. Obviously the same will happen to the new proposal in case legislature approves it.