Cases of inappropriate content removed on TikTok in Kenya slightly drops – Report
By Sinda MatikoThe number of inappropriate content removed on TikTok in Kenya for violating community guidelines has dropped slightly in its third quarter.
In its latest Q3 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, the social media platform revealed that over 334,000 videos were removed in Kenya, with an impressive 88.9 percent taken down before they could be viewed by others, and 93 percent removed within 24 hours of being posted.
This figure represents a slight decrease from the second quarter when TikTok revealed that it had removed over 360,000 videos on the platform for violating its policies. This represented approximately 0.3 percent of all videos uploaded in Kenya during the period. In the same period, a total of 60,465 videos were banned for violating the community guidelines.
The third quarter report showed that in Kenya, the action areas that saw the most videos removed centered around integrity and authenticity: where 99.7% of offending videos were removed before a user reported them, with 94% removed within 24 hours.
Mental and behavioral health was another area where 99.9% of harmful content was removed before a user reported it, with 96.4% removed within 24 hours.
Youth safety and well-being was another area of action, with 99.7% of content that violated youth safety policies removed before any views, and 94.3% removed within 24 hours.
In the Sensitive and Mature Themes action area, TikTok removed 99.5% of inappropriate videos before a user reported them, with 95.8% removed within 24 hours.
The platform stated that it has localized its content screening strategy in Kenya, suggesting that it now approaches content moderation in the country slightly differently than before.
TikTok has previously been accused of poor content moderation in Kenya, which in 2023, saw Bob Ndolo, the executive officer at Bridget Connect Consultancy petition Parliament to move quickly and ban the social media App in the country, arguing that it was exposing young Kenyans to explicit sexual content, demonstrating a lack of effort to moderate content.
The matter sparked a fierce debate in the country, with TikTok bosses summoned before the Parliamentary Petitions Committee to answer the charges.
In September 2024, the committee submitted its report to parliament, rejecting Ndolo’s request for a total ban on TikTok. However, the committee recommended that TikTok take further steps in its content moderation strategy in Kenya, including setting up an office in Kenya.
Globally in quarter three, TikTok removed more than 147 million videos during the same period, with 118 million detected and removed by automated systems.
“These efforts demonstrate a proactive detection rate of 98.2%, setting a high standard for content moderation globally. In Kenya, TikTok’s localized enforcement of its policies underscores its commitment to meeting the unique needs of its growing user base.” Read part of the report.
The platform added that it has invested in advanced technology, trust and safety teams, and local partnerships to ensure it is building a platform where Kenyans can safely create, connect, and be entertained.