The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Ministry of Home Affairs recently issued a notification on the use of the popular social media platform TikTok by users in Bhutan.
While the ministry welcomed and appreciated the talent, creativity and entertainment aspects of the content, it said it is concerned with the physical, emotional and social damages it can cause to the individual and society as a whole.
The Chief of the Department of Law and Order, Karma Dorji explained the rationale of the notification.
He said the Department is concerned about the way Bhutan is being portrayed to the outside world in terms of Bhutanese values and Bhutanese national identity.
He said the concern is that Bhutan is a small nation and it has always been doing well in the international arena guided by GNH, and from that perspective the Department always monitors social media as there is a lot of information on the community and society that can be derived from it.
He said the notification has been given to urge some caution before things get out of hand.
The Chief said that the majority of Bhutanese are using TikTok responsibly but it is a few that is misusing the platform. He talked about the TikTok games where people side up for two people and they do all kinds of tasks and punishments and use derogatory language on each other with hatred building up in exchange for gifts.
He said that like in other places people may do more extreme tasks and one day physically injure themselves and he said the other aspect is also the open defamation against each other.
The Chief said, “For example the two women fighting over a man as if nobody is watching them when their siblings, family and friends must be watching them and while it may be in the heat of the moment, it can also have a lasting long-term impact on their well-being.”
He said punishment like sending people to the Clock Tower at night and dancing in the rain could turn more serious. He said people develop hatred and there is a financial incentive.
TikTok, of late, has seen the racist rants of a particular female user which often goes viral and even makes its way into other social media forums.
The paper asked the Chief what was being done about this.
The Chief said it is a matter of concern and the authorities had a long discussion on the matter, but unfortunately due to the mental state of the person no action could be taken.
The Chief said, however, if the person poses a physical threat to others or herself then only action can be taken.
The Chief revealed that the police had tried to caution here against her rants, but it only backfired and the person started attacking the police instead.
The Chief said the person had been getting treatment before at the hospital but she has now stopped going and her family is not able to manage her.
The Chief said that one factor they considered is that in the comments most people are not taking her seriously or reacting seriously as they seem to be aware of her condition.
While social media is generally addictive TikTok has been seen to be particularly addictive with people even missing sleep at night and even their work and personal life being impacted.
When asked if the Department of Ministry has plans to ban TikTok like India and Nepal in the future the Chief said there is no plan as such right now but if things get out of control in the future then the government may have to consider taking certain steps.
When asked about what legal provisions can be applied for those on TikTok, the Chief said there are provisions in the Penal Code and the ICM Act if the platform is used for criminal activities or used to make divisive and seditious remarks.
He said the Department issued the notification as while it has a coordinating role it has an overarching role to look after safety and security concerns. He said security here is not just security in the traditional sense but also in issues of Bhutanese values and identity.
The Chief said that the image of Bhutanese internationally should be as professional and hardworking people and not as people resorting to all kinds of behavior online as the international community will also judge a country by its social media content.
Meanwhile, when this paper posted the notification on its Facebook page, it went viral and there were a lot of comments.
One was by the Actress and former MP Kezang D. Wangmo who sharing her experience said, “I am a TikTok user myself and I went live for the promotion of my ongoing film Upalma for five consecutive days! My sleep pattern changed and performance at work during the day became poor due to concentration issue. The pigments on my face became darker. I gained nearly 1.5 kg of weight and got some crow’s feet around my eyes along with dark circles. I suddenly became insecure about how I look. I lost confidence when I met people in real because I look so dashing with the TikTok natural filters. My eye sight became little blurry and face dehydrated. It’s been a week since then but my sleep pattern is hampered still and see I am writing this experience of mine at this hour.”
She went on to say, “I love creating content and since my audience are on TikTok, I have no choice but to keep creating content, engaging people and growing audience. I celebrated my TikTok anniversary just a few days ago and I am obsessed with the app for now as I also receive gifts and I feel nice when I get free money.”
She said that while it is her experience, it may not be same with everyone but for her she realized that slowly it is also costing her mental health.
“The nature of my business is involvement of the public and getting an audience for my content to help market my business. I may suffer in long run for sure but for now I am so addicted to it that it’s real difficult for me to stay away from this app for now la,” she added.
Zheday highlighted the security threat of TikTok saying it had been banned in India and may also be banned in America.
The majority of the more than 266 comments on Facebook called for the app to be banned. Opinions may differ with the Generation Z who are more on TikTok and not so much on Facebook.
However, there were a few who were against the ban.
Nima Gurung said, “TikTok can be beneficial as a platform for creative expression, connecting with communities worldwide, and discovering diverse content. Users can showcase talents, share knowledge, and find entertainment in various forms, fostering a sense of global connectivity and creativity. We can even avoid an unwanted user on TikTok by simply reporting them whenever you see unwanted content.”
Padam Chuwan said, “TikTok is very useful in learning everything. News are superfast and without editing and so many governments wants to ban it. It provides platform to express, it is an alternate platform for freedom of expression and so they want to ban it.”
Taking a more neutral stance Dorji Phuntsho said, “It’s fascinating how TikTok has become the new gold rush, with folks digging for their fortune in 15-second clips. Honestly, everyone should chase their passion, whether it’s dancing like nobody’s watching or lip-syncing to the latest hit. We’re all adults here, theoretically, capable of distinguishing between wisdom and absurdity. Let’s face it, TikTok isn’t the villain in this story; it’s our pint-sized perceptions that are. If you’re convinced TikTok is a gem, then by all means, dive into the glitter and revel in it. If you think it’s garbage, just toss it aside and keep walking. Surely, we have bigger fish to fry than to debate over an app.”
