- A month after Kenya's Interior Ministry considered imposing restrictions on TikTok to ensure the safety and security of sensitive data, the short-form video platform has reaffirmed its commitment to safety and positive community norms in Kenya.
- TikTok says it will continue to provide capacity-building workshops on online safety, data privacy, and content moderation to Kenyan policymakers and regulatory agencies.
During a recent appearance before the Kenyan Parliament, Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, TikTok's director of government and public policy for sub-Saharan Africa, assured members of the platform's unwavering commitment to safety.
He emphasised that TikTok's user policies, also known as Community Guidelines, and tools are carefully crafted to provide a safe and welcoming environment for its users.
Despite Kenya having the world's highest TikTok usage rate, concerns about inappropriate content prompted a petition to ban TikTok in Kenya in August 2023. In response, TikTok announced plans to open an office in Kenya to work closely with the government on content moderation. However, nothing has been said about the issue since then.
Mgwili-Sibanda addressed these specific TikTok concerns in Kenya by announcing ongoing capacity-building workshops to sensitise policymakers and regulatory agencies.
These workshops will focus on online safety, data privacy, and content moderation, demonstrating TikTok's proactive approach to engaging with stakeholders, particularly in light of the Kenyan government's recent considerations to prohibit its officials from using the app.
To further prove its commitment, TikTok has invited Kenyan legislators and government officials to visit its Transparency and Accountability Centre in Dublin.
Nonetheless, this isn't the first time TikTok will take considerable steps towards online safety, data privacy, and content moderation. In March 2024, the platform partnered with the African Union Commission's Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate (WGYD) to raise awareness of online safety among African youth and parents.
With over 40,000 trust and safety professionals worldwide working around the clock to protect its community, TikTok's collaborative efforts demonstrate the company's commitment to promoting a safe and secure online environment for its users in Kenya and throughout Africa.
