The petitioner who initially called for a TikTok ban in the country due to inappropriate content has shifted their position and is now advocating for the application to be regulated with stringent rules.
Bob Ndolo, the Executive Director General of Bridge Consultancy, said he revised the petition’s focus to emphasize regulation in response to numerous calls from various stakeholders concerned about the App’s usage.
He spoke when he appeared before the National Assembly Public Petition.
“We have been 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 said.
The businessman also mentioned that they were not influenced to amend their petition after President Ruto’s meeting with TikTok management, during which the management promised to implement content moderation on the global App.
RELATED – TikTok to Train Kenyan Creators on ‘positive’ Content
“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,” Ndolo said.
Meanwhile, Ezekiel Mutua, the Chief Executive Officer of the Music and Copyright Society of Kenya, who is in favor of the petition, expressed concern about the adverse impacts of the App resulting from its lack of regulation.
“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 argued.
“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,” Mutua added.
