Nairobi — The petitioner seeking a ban on TikTok in the country due to inappropriate content has toned down and now wants regularization of the application through strict regulations.
Appearing before the National Assembly Public Petition, Bob Ndolo, the Executive Director General of Bridge Consultancy, amended the petition to focus on regulation after receiving calls from various stakeholders regarding the App's usage.
This coming days after President William Ruto had talks with TikTok Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shou Zi Chew where they agreed on moderation mechanisms to reduce negative content on the video-sharing application.
"We have getting a lot of calls from tiktokers and that's the reason why we wanted change to push for the regulations of the App to protect national security and protect the youth from inappropriate content," Ndolo stated.
Ndolo emphasized that they were not coerced to amend their earlier petition pushing for the ban on Tiktok following President Ruto's meeting with Tiktok management that promised to moderate the content on the global App.
"We are privy to the discussion between the President and Tiktok CEO but we became aware through the media.We were not involved in anyway,we have only had a meeting with Tiktok management from South Africa.We haven't received any call from statehouse,"
Music and Copyright Society of Kenya Chief Executive Officer Ezekiel Mutua who supports the petition decried that the App has massive negative effects on the masses due to unregulated content.
Mutua implored MPs to take immediate action to safeguard Kenyans from the negative effects of the App which has exposed children to nudity and profanity.
"The social media sites that are unregulated are conduit for the destruction of our moral values. We have forgotten the software which is the moral fabric of our nation and where children are concerned," he noted.
MCSK CEO expressed that strict regulations must be instituted to ensure social media users are gagged from generating content aimed at eroding the country's social fabric.
"This kind of content normalizes insanity, obscenity, nudity and immorality. The app normalizes disrespect even on our national leaders. It can sound normal but that's how we normalize crime and killing as a way of life," he said.
Bridges Consultancy Advocate Collins Osewe opined that the TikTok App has violated integral provisions of the constitution and various acts calling for restriction of individuals who can join the global App.
"There is need to regulatory platform that will check or sieve inappropriate offensive, illegal, unlawful content propagated by any Tiktoker. Tiktok as a platform is a free for all but we need regulation to either make it a member club joined voluntary by adults but not free for all,"said Osewe.
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Clinical Psychologist Professor Ndungu Ikenye called for regulations on the TikTok App warning that unregulated content will lead to increased mental health cases, especially among minors.
"We ask you MPs to be guardians of our values because the way things are going to be in the pop culture we are in danger. If we don't have people who protect our children, mental health go up," said Ikenye.
TikTok Commitment
TikTok management promised to work with Kenya in reviewing and monitoring its content. The move, President William Ruto said, will ensure that content on the platform adheres to agreed guidelines.
In a virtual meeting with President Ruto, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew committed to ensuring that content is moderated to fit community standards.
This new development means that inappropriate or offensive content will be expunged from the platform.
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.
