President Willaim Ruto on Thursday, August 24, held a meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew in the wake of a debate to ban the popular social media platform due explicit content.
During the meeting, TikTok CEO, agreed to set up a Kenyan office to coordinate its operations in the continent.
The CEO pledged to hire more Kenyans to work for the platform, creating job opportunities in Kenya.
Furthermore, Zi Chew said that he is committed to ensuring that content is moderated to fit community standards.
“Short-form video hosting service TikTok will work with Kenya in reviewing and monitoring its content,” TikTok Ceo said.
Furthermore, President William Ruto said that the move he will ensure that content on the platform adheres to agreed guidelines.
This new development means that inappropriate or offensive content will be expunged from the platform.
“During the meeting, Mr Chew also agreed to set up a Kenyan Office to coordinate its operations in the continent. He pledged to hire more Kenyans to work for the platform,” read part of a dispatch from State House.
Ruto’s Assurance
President William Ruto on August 23 assured Kenyans that he would hold a meeting with TikTok CEO to discuss how to moderate TikTok content, amid a debate by Members of Parliament to ban it.
Speaking during the Kenya Music Festival ‘Winner’ Concert in Nakuru President Ruto said the meeting would seek to find ways to regulate content.
“I will speak to the global CEO of TikTok, I know we have had a conversation as a country over TikTok and some of the challenges in the platform.
Furthermore, the President disclosed that he is the one behind the monetization of YouTube and Twitter in Kenya.
“I am happy to say that two of them have agreed to monetize content in Kenya. YouTube for example we are now at 80% monetization.
We are one of the four countries in the African continent that can now monetize our content. Twitter has also agreed to monetize our continent,” President Ruto shared.
The President went ahead to share that over the past year, he has been holding discussions with owners of various social media platform from Facebook, Twitter to TikTok including YouTube revealing that they have made progress on the same.
Also Read: 5 Popular Kenyans on TikTok and How They Make Money
TikTok Ban Debate
President Ruto’s assurance came at a time when there is an ongoing debate to ban TikTok in Parliament.
A private citizen, Bob Ndolo, petitioned lawmakers to ban TikTok since it exposes young people to explicit content.
According to Ndolo, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) does not regulate the internet in Kenya, making it difficult to control the content on TikTok.
While commenting on the matter, Leader of Majority Kimani Ichung’wah opposed the banning of TikTok but instead called for regulation.
“Many of us, including myself, are on TikTok, unashamedly and there’s nothing criminal or evil being on TikTok,” he said.
