TikTok Disregards Ethnic Cleansing in Georgia
TikTok, a Chinese video-sharing application currently lists Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgian territories occupied by Russia, among sovereign states. Has it drifted from its social networking functions to determining national sovereignty matters?
The news broke out last week in Tbilisi, followed by a public outcry and an official statement by the Georgian Foreign Ministry. The MFA said that they are working “on the issue of social network TikTok in order to rectify the shortcomings on this site similar to the other previous cases.” The MFA already informed the Chinese Ambassador in Tbilisi, Li Yan about the problem.
To give the TikTok engineers and the management a broader picture of what they are endorsing, here are some key data points:
First off, Abkhazia and South Ossetia (legally the Tskhinvali Region) are two regions of Georgia, recognized by the absolute majority of UN member states as such, except Russia, Syria, Nicaragua, Nauru and Maduro’s Venezuela. China, which is a host country to TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance also firmly supports Georgia’s territorial integrity.
Second, Abkhaz separatist forces, largely driven and supported by Russia ethnically cleansed Abkhazia in 1993 and as a result, over 200 000 Georgians remain displaced in their own country to this day. Yes, these are the crimes against humanity. Even more, Russia has stationed around 5000 troops in the region, prevents peaceful resolution of the conflict, and continues to deprive over 30 000 ethnic Georgian residents in the Gali district of basic human rights, such as education and the right to vote.
Third, Russia also occupies South Ossetia, which Moscow invaded in 2008 along with the rest of Georgia. In and around Tskhinvali, the Kremlin station nearly 5000 troops, keep around 20 illegal bases of its Federal Security Service (FSB), and wage daily hybrid warfare against Georgia. These forces erect barbed wire fences and divide families by using artificial maps and barriers. The youth and the elderly are kidnapped daily for “crossing the border”, which has been their yard for generations. It’s pretty much Orwellian.
As a result of the two occupied regions, Georgia, a country of 3.7 million citizens, has had nearly 10% of its population forced out of their homes. TikTok’s behavior to disregard all these grave violations of human rights and crimes against humanity may be chiefly dictated by two main possibilities:
First, the company made uninformed action and treated the issue of Georgia as a technical matter. Even with such a provision, the responsibility also goes to Apple, which allows TikTok on its Store. Apple, which has not wavered about Georgia’s territorial integrity in any prior instances, usually scrutinizes incoming products before releasing them publicly. What is different with TikTok?
Second, TikTok took into account Russia’s official policy, given that the platform covers Georgia and the region from its Moscow office. Such action goes against the Georgia Support Act of the US Congress and the European Parliament Resolution of 2018. ByteDance primarily contradicts Georgia’s Law On Occupied Territories. So, the key law governing the affairs of the occupied regions being breached enables Georgia to start an investigation against TikTok’s intentions and ask its key allies, the United States and the EU to support its cause.
Here is why ByteDance should change its approach to the Georgia issue:
Principally, the company is going against national and international laws, including the United Nations, the EU, the U.S., and China’s official policies that have consistently supported Georgia’s territorial integrity. In no uncertain terms, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are indicated in almost every major application, including Facebook, or other Google and Apple products as part of Georgia.
The objective should not be banning TikTok from the two occupied regions; rather, indicating in the application that they are part of Georgia. Such an example is a French territory in the Caribbean, which TikTok labels as “St. Martin (France).” Georgians would be happy with TikTok saying: “Abkhazia (Georgia); South Ossetia (Georgia).” Georgia’s official policy is not to prevent its own regions from development; however, laws, national and international must be respected.
Additionally, these grave violations by ByteDance arise as the company has already received highly negative coverage for its abuse of personal data, including among children. More so, the Chinese company, under investigation for flouting data and privacy rules, would be the only firm on the entire App Store that is following Russian policy regarding a country fighting for her sovereignty and freedom.
Finally, if ByteDance continues to violate legal norms and regulations, Georgia would need to take legal and diplomatic action against the company, which will by no means benefit TikTok. This would also include getting the Chinese and the American governments involved further. Notably, any further complication of the matter will draw the attention of investigative journalists and digital human rights advocates to put TikTok under increased scrutiny, so it does not become a tech hegemon that undermines democracy and national sovereignty.
In a nutshell, it’s rightful and in ByteDance’s direct interest to change its current policy to make it clear to its users globally that Abkhazia and South Ossetia are part of Georgia. Such a solution will serve as an example for Google, Apple, and other companies, who are created to serve the people across the globe, not to promote ethnic cleansing and human rights abuse. ByteDance and TikTok should act and do so quickly.
Zviad Adzinbaia is a Fellow at International Security Studies Program of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. He focuses on the issues of disinformation, misinformation and tech-enabled democracy. A dedicated jazz fan, he is passionate about hosting a jazz event in his hometown, Gali (Abkhazia), when Georgia is reunited.