Is TikTok Live Banned in Kenya?
On Saturday, rumors circulated suggesting that TikTok was planning to disable its live feature in Kenya as part of the country’s content regulation efforts.
These reports, which gained traction throughout the morning, claimed that this decision was reached following a meeting between the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) and TikTok’s owners.
However, it’s important to clarify that these reports were not accurate.
A check conducted by cnyakundi.com confirmed that the KFCB’s board had indeed requested TikTok to disable the live features for content creators who violated community guidelines, particularly by sharing immoral content.
Is TikTok Live Banned in Kenya?
However, it’s crucial to note that TikTok’s management has not yet finalized this request.
In an interview on Citizen TV the previous Friday night, Wamalwa explained that this recommendation stemmed from a series of meetings with TikTok leadership aimed at fostering cleaner content on the platform.
He emphasized the potential risks to children who might unknowingly access explicit content.
Wamalwa stated, “We have requested that the Live feature be disabled until they can verify the credentials of content originating from Kenya within their platform.
These issues typically arise between 10:00 pm and 3:00 am, so they need to allocate more resources to Kenya.”
The KFCB also urged TikTok to implement measures to deter the posting of explicit content, such as tracking a device’s IMEI number and subsequently barring it from using the platform.
This would make it challenging for users to purchase multiple devices for running different accounts.
Furthermore, Wamalwa highlighted the role of content creators in self-regulating their content before going live, stating, “We’ve asked them to remove explicit and lewd content uploaded on their platform.
Will TikTok Live Be Banned In Kenya?
We’ve reached an agreement that they will adjust their systems to allow self-regulation when content creators upload material. They will also enhance their algorithms to filter out inappropriate content on the backend.”
Additionally, the acting CEO mentioned plans to ensure that content creators pay taxes in response to the global shift from traditional news to digital media.
He pointed out that some content creators were earning substantial amounts quickly and operating with low costs.
Therefore, it would be challenging to reinvest these earnings in Kenya if revenues were being directed elsewhere.
On August 24, 2023, President William Ruto held discussions with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to explore regulatory measures on the platform.
These discussions encompassed permanent bans, content removal, restrictions on features, and proposals to amend the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act to introduce penalties for content creators who posted graphic content.
