Kenya is contemplating banning Tiktok use by government officials citing security reasons. According to Interior CS Kithure Kindiki, this ban on Tiktok is being discussed by National Security council.
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The question is why now, why is Tiktok facing A ban THREAT at this moment not any other time?
First, who owns Tiktok? Tiktok is owned by Byte Dance, a Chinese company which also owns Capcut, the now popular video editor.
Tiktok rose to prominence in Kenya during the corona pandemic period where many people joined the
platform as a source of entertainment. Many creators flocked to Tiktok to share their personal lives
with tiktok’s fast growing audience often consisting of young people.
Kenyans are the leading users of tiktok in the world according to Reuters report which shows 54 percent of Kenyans are using the platform with the highest number of views compared to any other country globally.
Young people use this platform to build their personal brands and to make money. The ban on tiktok
would render those who depend it jobless. However, there is a connection between Kenya and
America’s long fight to ban Tiktok.
In June 2023, 34 states out of 50 in United States banned the use of Tiktok by government employees especially on government devises. US government argues that China is using the platform to influence people in America using tiktok’s addictive algorithm. Kenya seems to be following suit with CS Kindiki saying government officials would likely be banned from using it.
Kenyan government has written to Byte Dance, a company which owns tiktok seeking explanation to
concerns raised on how the app is being used by criminals to spread propaganda and luring Kenyans
into fake job opportunities and fake forex trade. Additionally, the tiktok has been blamed for promoting promiscuity especially on tiktok live stream at night.
Tiktok had promised to deal with it but has not fully done so. While Kenyan is a sovereign state hence can make decisions on its own, the way it is trying to ban tiktok follows American pattern.
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In the latest reports America is seeking to force Byte dance to sell Tiktok or totally ban it following
accusations labeled against it on grounds that Chinese Communist Party could be secretly controlling
it and could possibly use to influence campaigns as America is set to hold elections late this year.
Other countries that have banned tiktok includes Somalia, India, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, New
Zealand, UK, and Afghanistan.
In Kenya many young people are using Tiktok to make money and if it gets banned, it will be chaotic as it has been in United State where citizens took to the street to protest the looming ban on tiktok with slogan like keep tiktok.
The move by Kenyan government scrutinize Tiktok with intentions of banning it if is found to have
breached the law put Kenya in a controversial position even as it tries to keep good diplomatic
relation with both China and US.
