The Minister of Information in the caretaker government, Ziad Makari, issued the following statement: "After the revelation of the matter concerning the entrapment of minors through the TikTok application and the security forces' uncovering of a 'TikTokers' gang that used the app to promote their criminal activities, and following demands to ban this application in Lebanon, the Ministry of Information would like to clarify the following points:
Firstly - Banning any application, based on the statement from the Ministry of Communications, requires a judicial decision. It is noted that blocking does not limit usage, as there are alternative methods available, such as VPN technology. It should be emphasized that TikTok is merely a communication tool, and if it is blocked, these networks will move to other platforms. Therefore, the more effective and important approach is to monitor the content and promptly report any material that harms public morals or has potential criminal and unethical implications, with the aim of deletion and account closure.
Secondly - The Ministry of Information will collaborate with the TikTok office in the Middle East and Turkey, which will soon visit Lebanon based on the ministry's invitation, in coordination to establish a joint action plan with the Ministry of Communications to monitor the application’s content and mitigate the risks of offensive material, in addition to setting ethical standards. Agreements will be made to organize educational sessions conducted by experts, available to all interested parties from the media and educational institutions on how to positively utilize this platform and understand its terms and regulations.
Thirdly - Regarding the ongoing investigations into the 'TikTokers' scandal and its random coverage by the media, which sometimes leads to the dissemination of inaccurate information, and since this may harm the investigation process, the Ministry of Information, in line with the statement from the Public Prosecution, urges that information about the investigations be exclusively sourced from the judiciary, as it is the only official source for that. This does not negate the role of responsible investigative journalism that aims to reveal truths professionally."
