In mid-December of last year, dozens of TikTok accounts in Armenia faced blocking and malfunctions. According to media expert Artur Papyan, the platform began applying the same rules to Armenian users that are already in effect in Europe and the United States, under pressure from the European Union. The new EU Digital Services Act (DSA) obliges large platforms to ensure transparency, provide audience data, and control the distribution of content.
Papyan explained that even without the direct effect of European legislation in Armenia, platforms operate according to uniform standards. The main reason for the blocking is the detection of coordinated or "unnatural" behavior, when the same content is distributed by groups of users. According to the expert, such actions are perceived as potentially illegal and lead to mass restrictions on accounts, including Russian channels, which may be related to the general policy of countering disinformation.
To protect their accounts, Papyan advises using all available mechanisms for appealing blockings through the platform and expressing disagreement with the decisions. He also recommends that influencers create backup channels and be active on several social networks simultaneously, so that in case of problems with TikTok, they can redirect the audience to other platforms.