For the first time, a Kenyan Parliament received a petition to ban the popular social media platform, TikTok in Kenya, a move that could deal content creators a major blow.
The petitioner who is the Bridget Connect Consultancy CEO, Bob Ndolo, presented his petition to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula on the basis that the explicit content in TikTok promotes violence (sex), hate speech and vulgarity which undermines the cultural and religious values of Kenya.
Ndolo argues that if the Chinese-owned application is not banned, it poses threats of mental health issues to the youth.
He also argues that it poses a great risk in the decline in academic performance of students due to its addictive nature.
“The petition decries that while it has gained popularity among the youths in Kenya, the content that is being shared on the platform is inappropriate thus promoting violence, explicit sexual content, hate speech, vulgar language, and offensive behavior which is a serious threat to the cultural and religious views of Kenya,” Wetangula said on Tuesday.
“The petitioner is also concerned that if the platform is not prohibited in Kenya, the Apps addictive nature will lead to a decline in academic performances and ascend in mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and sleep deprivation among the youth.”
In June, the ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo revealed plans to regulate TikTok, especially during the night following reports of all manner of ‘illegalities’ at the wee hours of the night.
