Morocco’s Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mehdi Bensaid, announced on Tuesday that Chinese social media platform TikTok has agreed to open dialogue with Morocco to better “incorporate Moroccan culture and values into the platform’s operations.”
During a parliamentary session at the Upper House, Bensaid warned against the “potential harm of unregulated content” on social media platforms such as TikTok.
He underscored the role of families in guiding and raising awareness among their children. He noted that individuals harmed by certain content, such as content they believe is “defamatory,” have the option to seek legal recourse.
However, Bensaid lamented the demise of values, a concern shared by people in all Arab regions. He noted that Morocco is working collectively with other Arab countries to address challenges posed by digital platforms, particularly concerning shared Arab values and the Moroccan identity (Tamaghrabit).
“We must discuss what is acceptable and what is not,” he said. “But there are difficult boundaries related to freedom of expression, based on the perspectives of these companies. Even regarding values, these platforms naturally have their own interpretations.”