By Spy Uganda Correspondent
Kenya’s parliamentary committee has rejected a petition calling for a total ban on TikTok in the country, instead recommending regular compliance checks on the social media platform’s operations by State authorities.
In its report tabled in Parliament, the National Assembly Committee on Public Petitions said a total ban on TikTok would stifle freedom of media and expression.
“The committee rejects the prayer as a total ban on TikTok is not tenable as it violates fundamental rights and freedoms in the country,” the committee’s report said.
“An outright ban on TikTok in the country will have far-reaching effects in limiting innovation and creativity among content users.
“A ban will restrict the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the media, both constitutional rights in our democracy,” the report said.
The committee noted that as the country moves towards strengthening its digital economy, restricting the operations of social media will be counterproductive.
“A ban on the social media platform would stifle social and economic growth and the benefits of internet connectivity as the nation seeks to enhance its digital economy,” reads the committee’s recommendation to Parliament.
The committee, chaired by Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai, says all social media platforms in the country, should be regulated and their operations should be subject to regular reviews by government agencies.
But despite lifting the blanket ban on TikTok, the committee raised fundamental questions about the platform’s operations in the country.
Concerns range from national security and privacy, content moderation and breaches of community guidelines, economic benefit and compliance with Kenyan law.
The committee acknowledged that TikTok poses a serious security threat to the country, a matter currently under consideration by the National Security Council.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy shall work together to enhance user protection and cyber security on social media platforms, including TikTok, and report to Parliament within four months of the submission of this report,” the report reads.
In March this year, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki told the committee that the National Security Council was toying with the idea of banning public servants from using TikTok to protect sensitive data.
“This matter is so complex, so consequential that it is not easy to look in one direction and decide whether to ban TikTok or not. The petition raises very serious issues. The issues go to the heart of the safety and security of our people,” said Prof Kindiki.
On the negative impact of youth, the committee acknowledged that TikTok’s safety tools are inadequate, especially for young users.
On the economic benefits to the country, the committee said there was no clarity on the economic benefits of the platform and its contribution to Gross Domestic Product.
(GD“TikTok’s user identification mechanism allows a user to create multiple accounts with different details. This could lead to potential misuse of the platform in violation of the community guidelines,” the report said.
“These resources and tools include empowering users to report inappropriate content, tips on how to prevent cyberbullying, scams and sexual assault, as well as improving digital wellbeing,” the report said.
The committee also expressed concern that TikTok does not have an effective age verification mechanism to enforce age restrictions, particularly at the user registration stage.
The committee also found that TikTok may not comply with all data protection laws.
In terms of economic benefits for the youth, the committee pointed out that TikTok is shortchanging the youth as it is yet to introduce monetisation for content creators, saying that currently content creators earn through gifts on the live feature and endorsement partnerships.
“For example, the application does not have a monetisation policy in the country for content creators to earn directly from their content,” the report said.
The committee also expressed concern that TikTok has no offices in Kenya where users can report issues and follow up on various concerns.
The petition was tabled in Parliament in August last year by Bob Ndolo, CEO of Bridge Connect consultancy, who urged MPs to impose a total ban on the social media platforms, saying they were being used to perpetuate violence and explicit sexual content, especially among the youth.
Mr Ndolo told the lawmakers that the platform, which he said is not regulated by the Communication Authority of Kenya, has also been used to promote hate speech and vulgar language that poses a threat to the country’s cultural and religious values.
In his petition, Mr Ndolo said TikTok has been involved in several privacy scandals in the recent past, citing a 2019 case in which the app was fined $5.7m by the US Federal Trade Commission for illegally collecting information from children as young as 13 without parental consent.
The petitioner expressed concern that if nothing is done about the platform in the country, the addictive nature of the app would lead to a decline in academic performance, increase in mental health cases, anxiety and sleep deprivation among the youth.
The committee has recommended that national security agencies must consider the potential risks of such platforms, and that data security should be prioritised to protect the country and its cyberspace.
The committee has also urged the Data Protection Commissioner to take necessary enforcement action to protect the rights of data subjects in the country.
On content moderation on the platform, the committee says that according to the Kenya Information and Communication Act (KICA) section 46C, broadcasters are licensed by the Communication Authority and set standards of operation.
However, the committee says there is a need to amend the law to give the Communication Authority powers to regulate social media.
“There is a need to amend the Act to empower the Authority to regulate social media platforms and content moderation as media platforms,” the report says.
cialis logo [url=https://tadalaccess.com/#]Tadal Access[/url] cialis one a day
great white peptides tadalafil [url=https://tadalaccess.com/#]cialis vs flomax[/url] cialis for sale in canada
price of cialis in pakistan [url=https://tadalaccess.com/#]Tadal Access[/url] sunrise pharmaceutical tadalafil
over the counter cialis walgreens [url=https://tadalaccess.com/#]cialis effectiveness[/url] cialis covered by insurance
generic tadalafil [url=http://zipgenericmd.com/#]generic tadalafil[/url] order Cialis online no prescription
best price for Viagra [url=https://maxviagramd.shop/#]legit Viagra online[/url] legit Viagra online
modafinil 2025 [url=https://modafinilmd.store/#]buy modafinil online[/url] legal Modafinil purchase
pin up [url=http://pinupaz.top/#]pin up casino[/url] pinup az
vavada casino [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада зеркало[/url] вавада
vavada casino [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada casino[/url] вавада
пин ап казино официальный сайт [url=https://pinuprus.pro/#]pin up вход[/url] пин ап казино официальный сайт
pin up [url=https://pinupaz.top/#]pin up az[/url] pin up azerbaycan
вавада зеркало [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада[/url] vavada
пин ап зеркало [url=http://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап казино официальный сайт[/url] пинап казино
pinup az [url=http://pinupaz.top/#]pin-up[/url] pin-up casino giris
вавада зеркало [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада[/url] vavada
pin-up casino giris [url=https://pinupaz.top/#]pin up az[/url] pin up az
pin up casino [url=http://pinupaz.top/#]pin up[/url] pin up casino
вавада [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада зеркало[/url] вавада казино
vavada [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada[/url] вавада казино
пинап казино [url=http://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап вход[/url] пин ап зеркало
vavada вход [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada[/url] vavada вход
вавада официальный сайт [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada[/url] vavada
вавада зеркало [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada[/url] vavada вход
пин ап зеркало [url=https://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап зеркало[/url] пин ап зеркало
пин ап казино [url=http://pinuprus.pro/#]pin up вход[/url] пинап казино
vavada [url=http://vavadavhod.tech/#]vavada вход[/url] вавада казино
pin-up [url=http://pinupaz.top/#]pin up[/url] pin up
pin-up [url=http://pinupaz.top/#]pinup az[/url] pin up azerbaycan
вавада зеркало [url=https://vavadavhod.tech/#]вавада[/url] вавада официальный сайт
пин ап казино [url=https://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап казино[/url] пинап казино
pin-up casino giris [url=https://pinupaz.top/#]pin up[/url] pin up casino
пин ап казино [url=http://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап казино официальный сайт[/url] пин ап зеркало
пин ап вход [url=http://pinuprus.pro/#]пин ап казино официальный сайт[/url] пин ап казино
pin up [url=http://pinupaz.top/#]pin up azerbaycan[/url] pin up azerbaycan
pin up azerbaycan [url=https://pinupaz.top/#]pin-up[/url] pin up
indian pharmacy online [url=https://medicinefromindia.com/#]indian pharmacy online shopping[/url] MedicineFromIndia
indian pharmacy [url=https://medicinefromindia.shop/#]Medicine From India[/url] indian pharmacy online
canada drugs [url=http://expressrxcanada.com/#]Express Rx Canada[/url] canadian pharmacy 1 internet online drugstore
Medicine From India [url=https://medicinefromindia.com/#]Medicine From India[/url] Medicine From India
mexico pharmacies prescription drugs [url=https://rxexpressmexico.com/#]mexican online pharmacy[/url] mexico pharmacy order online
medicine courier from India to USA [url=http://medicinefromindia.com/#]Medicine From India[/url] Medicine From India
pharmacie en ligne [url=https://pharmafst.shop/#]Livraison rapide[/url] Pharmacie Internationale en ligne pharmafst.shop
achat kamagra [url=https://kamagraprix.com/#]kamagra oral jelly[/url] Kamagra Oral Jelly pas cher
Kamagra Commander maintenant [url=https://kamagraprix.shop/#]kamagra gel[/url] Achetez vos kamagra medicaments
pharmacie en ligne fiable [url=https://pharmafst.shop/#]pharmacie en ligne[/url] Pharmacie en ligne livraison Europe pharmafst.shop
pharmacie en ligne france livraison internationale [url=http://pharmafst.com/#]Pharmacies en ligne certifiees[/url] acheter mГ©dicament en ligne sans ordonnance pharmafst.shop
Cialis sans ordonnance 24h [url=https://tadalmed.shop/#]Acheter Viagra Cialis sans ordonnance[/url] Achat Cialis en ligne fiable tadalmed.com
Pharmacie sans ordonnance [url=https://pharmafst.com/#]Pharmacies en ligne certifiees[/url] pharmacie en ligne fiable pharmafst.shop
vente de mГ©dicament en ligne [url=https://pharmafst.com/#]pharmacie en ligne sans ordonnance[/url] pharmacie en ligne pharmafst.shop