Iraqi Lawmaker Refutes Claims of TikTok Ban

These rumors arise amid actions by the American government and Congress aimed at banning TikTok in the United States.

Sarah Baus, left, of Charleston, SC., and Tiffany Cianci, who says she is a “long-form educational content creator,” livestream to TikTok outside the Supreme Court, Jan. 10, 2025, in Washington. (Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
Sarah Baus, left, of Charleston, SC., and Tiffany Cianci, who says she is a “long-form educational content creator,” livestream to TikTok outside the Supreme Court, Jan. 10, 2025, in Washington. (Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Jan. 18, 2025

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Rumors about banning TikTok in Iraq are unfounded, according to Karwan Yarwais, a member of the Iraqi Parliament’s Communications and Transportation Committee. He spoke to Kurdistan24 on Saturday.

"The Iraqi Ministry of Communications has not discussed such a matter with the Iraqi Council of Ministers. Therefore, the news about banning TikTok in Iraq remains speculative," Yarwais confirmed to Kurdistan24.

"Such a decision requires approval from the Iraqi Council of Ministers," he added.

Yarwais also noted that any decision to ban TikTok in Iraq would not extend to the Kurdistan Region, as it would require separate approval from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

These rumors arise amid actions by the American government and Congress aimed at banning TikTok in the United States. "Under legislation passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden last year, TikTok’s China-based parent company had nine months to divest the platform’s U.S. operations to an approved buyer," AP reported on Saturday.

President-elect Donald Trump indicated on Saturday that he "most likely" would grant TikTok an additional 90 days to negotiate a deal to prevent a U.S. ban.

The U.S. has expressed concerns about TikTok's potential to collect extensive user data, including sensitive viewing habits, which could be accessed by the Chinese government. Officials also worry that the app’s algorithm could be manipulated by Chinese authorities to influence content subtly.