The TikTok application, very popular among Kenyan youth, is the source of growing criticism of the content shared there. As concerns grow over the use of the application on a global scale, the Kenyan government has requested clarification from the Chinese firm that owns the platform.
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With our correspondent in Nairobi, Albane Thirouard
The controversy began in August 2023. When a businessman submitted a petition to Parliament calling for a ban on TikTok At Kenya. The applicant complained about inappropriate content shared on the application.
Shortly after submitting this petition, the Kenyan president spoke virtually with the CEO of the Chinese social network. Nairobi then said that TikTok was ready to work with the authorities to moderate content on its platform. The network had even committed to opening an office in Kenya.
But new twist. Nairobi announced this week that it had asked TikTok to demonstrate compliance with Kenyan laws governing data protection, user verifications and content filtering. This is what Kithure Kindiki, the Kenyan Minister of the Interior, explained to parliamentarians.
The platform is, according to him, used by “ criminals to spread malicious propaganda “. He mentioned cases of identity theft, defrauding users through fake Forex exchanges and false job offers or even the distribution of sexual content.
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