Kenya’s Interior Minister, Kithure Kindiki, has announced the country’s demand for TikTok to obey local privacy and user verification laws, citing concerns over the platform’s role in spreading propaganda, perpetrating fraud, and distributing inappropriate content.
According to Kindiki, TikTok, along with other social media platforms, has come under scrutiny from regulators worldwide to ensure its users are protected from harmful content and criminal activities enabled through these platforms.
“The government, through the office of the Data Protection Commissioner, has contacted TikTok and raised concerns relating to its processing activities,” Kindiki stated during a parliamentary committee session on Thursday, 21st March.
Owned by Chinese company, ByteDance, TikTok has defended its track record on user privacy in response to similar criticisms in other jurisdictions.
The Interior Minister highlighted instances where TikTok was allegedly used by criminals to spread malicious propaganda, perpetrate identity theft and impersonation, conduct fraudulent schemes such as fake forex trades and job recruitments, and expose users, particularly minors, to inappropriate content.
“These risks have caused distress among users, exposed minors to inappropriate content and promoted discord among citizens,” Kindiki noted.
Kenya isn’t the only country to place TikTok under scrutiny. Recently, Italy fined the short video platform 10 million euros ($10.91 million) for inadequate content checks, particularly regarding material potentially harmful to young or vulnerable users.
Moreover, TikTok faces potential restrictions in the United States, as a draft bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives mandates its Chinese owners to divest their ownership within approximately six months or face a ban.
