President William Ruto has announced that TikTok will launch a national training program aimed at empowering content creators and promoting positive content in the country.
This decision follows President Ruto’s meeting with TikTok Africa Director Fortune Sibanda at State House, Nairobi, where they discussed key aspects of the platform, including content moderation and monetization.
After their meeting, President Ruto emphasized the significance of Kenyan content creators being able to earn a livelihood from their creative talents.
“Kenyan creatives deserve to make a livelihood from their ability to create good content. TikTok will run a national training programme in Kenya to empower content creators through comprehensive platform knowledge, fostering increased monetization, and promoting positive content,” he stated
Kenyan creatives deserve to make a livelihood from their ability to create good content. TikTok will run a national training programme in Kenya to empower content creators through comprehensive platform knowledge, fostering increased monetization and promoting positive content. pic.twitter.com/WrrSKmdJ19
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) September 2, 2023
A few weeks ago, Ruto held an online meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and made significant announcements regarding the platform’s content moderation.
TikTok to be regulated
Ruto declared that all inappropriate and offensive content shared on TikTok would be promptly removed from the platform.
He emphasized that the government had forged a partnership with the short-form video platform to actively monitor and review content, ensuring that all creators adhere to established guidelines.
Chew, echoing Ruto’s remarks, assured Kenyans that TikTok is committed to establishing a Kenyan office responsible for coordinating operations in the continent.
Additionally, Chew pledged to create employment opportunities for more Kenyans within the TikTok platform, underlining the platform’s dedication to fostering a positive and inclusive environment for its users in Kenya.
Ruto’s announcements came after a petition that sparked a lively debate in Kenya’s parliamentary and public spheres, calling for the prohibition of TikTok within the country.
The petition, submitted by Kenyan citizen Bob Ndolo, argued that TikTok poses a challenge to Kenya’s fundamental cultural and religious values.
Ndolo’s submission underscored the need for better regulation of TikTok within Kenya, as he attributed the platform’s surge in offensive and unsuitable content to the current lack of adequate oversight
