Kenya has joined a growing list of nations seeking to regulate TikTok in a bid to combat false information, fraud, and the distribution of sexual content. According to reports, the Kenyan government has advised lawmakers against banning TikTok and instead recommended stricter rules to regulate the platform.
"Rather than imposing a ban on TikTok, the ministry proposes adopting a co-regulation model," the information and communication ministry said in an advisory to the panel, which was shared with Reuters on Thursday.
The ministry proposed requiring TikTok to screen content to ensure compliance with Kenyan laws and file quarterly reports to the government on what material it had taken down.
Last month, an activist petitioned the Kenyan parliament to ban the ultra-popular social media app in an effort to ensure the privacy of individuals is respected in accordance with the laws of their country.
Following the petition, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki told a parliamentary committee that the popularity of TikTok is exposing young people to sexually explicit content, advocating for a total closure of TikTok's operation in Kenya.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Petitions on March 21, 2024
He explained that the ministry, through the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, tried to contact TikTok and raised concerns about its processing activities.
"These risks have caused distress among users, exposed minors to inappropriate content and promoted discord among citizens," he said.
TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, in response to similar criticism in other countries, it has defended its record on user privacy.
Yesterday, President Biden signed a bill that forces TikTok to be sold to an American company or face a ban. The bill gives ByteDance 270 days to divest, a decision that has been enough to sway the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Sen. Maria Cantwell.
Yesterday, President Biden signed a bill that forces TikTok to be sold to an American company or face a ban
Biden has said for months that he'll pass the legislation once it reaches his desk. In his last year in office, former President Donald Trump tried to force ByteDance to sell to an American company via executive order, but a federal district court struck down the order.
TikTok vowed to challenge the bill in court once Biden signs it. CEO Shou Chew responded to the latest moves in a video posted by the official TikTok account. "Make no mistake, this is a ban," Chew said in the video. "A ban on TikTok and a ban on you and your voice." @tiktok
Despite Chew's defiant video and the growing outrage from the app's users, a TikTok ban won't happen immediately. According to reports, Bytedance has nine months to a year to find a buyer for TikTok - and that's only if the bill holds up in court.
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