Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS), Kithure Kindiki has responded to a petition proposing to ban TikTok in Kenya.
Speaking on Thursday, March 21, while appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Petitions, the CS disclosed that the government has communicated its dissatisfaction with TikTok’s adherence to Kenyan laws.
In particular, the CS noted that the government has questioned how effectively TikTok verifies its users’ ages and its measures to filter content and comply with the Data Protection Act of 2019.
“The government through the Data Protection Commissioner has contacted Tiktok and sought to ascertain the level of compliance to ensure the privacy of individuals is respected,” said CS Kindiki.
While addressing the Petitions Committee regarding a petition by Bob Ndolo pushing for Tiktok ban, Kindiki emphasized that rushing to ban TikTok without considering the perspectives of its stakeholders would be premature.
Kindiki on Conducting Tiktok Analysis
He went on to stress the importance of conducting a comprehensive analysis to assess the risks and benefits associated with such a drastic measure.
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“I don’t think we’re in a position to declare the dangers outweigh the benefits. It’s a bit premature. We should work out a program where we have a policy that is evidence-based to assess whether the risks are more prominent than the benefits,” he remarked.
Kindiki also highlighted the procedural aspect of the government’s actions, noting that administrative procedures must be followed, including listening to those who would be affected.
However, he cautioned against delaying actions to regulate cyberspace, warning of irreversible harm.
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The move to contact TikTok comes against a backdrop of concerns that Tiktok has turned into a breeding ground for criminals. Concerns such as distribution of sexual content and exposure of minors to inappropriate content are among the worrying trends reported in the recent past.
Challenges Caused by Social Media
“All social media platforms including Tiktok have now become a real theatre for misuse by criminals to endanger public safety and security, ” he remarked.
“They are increasingly being used to spread malicious propaganda, steal popular account through identity theft and impersonation, defraud users through fake forex trade and job recruitment, distribution of sexual content and exposure of minors to inappropriate content.”
In 2023, CEO of Bridget Connect Consultancy, Bob Ndolo, filed a petition to ban TikTok claiming that it exposes young people to explicit content. However, most Members of Parliament voted against a bill that proposed the ban.
