Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has said criminal elements are now using social media platforms to spread malicious propaganda
"The traditional way of communication across the world has been disrupted and social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and Signal have been embraced by citizens as a medium of communicating, sharing information, planning events," he said on his X account.
"With its wide reach, criminal elements are also using TikTok platform to steal popular accounts through identity theft and impersonation, defraud users through fake forex trade and job recruitment, distribution of sexual content and exposure of minors to inappropriate content."
The CS data controllers and processors must comply with regulations under the Data Protection Act.
"Kenya has a robust Data Management and Control legal regime to facilitate a secure, effective and efficient adoption of technology and digitisation of services in public and private sectors," he said.
The government, through the office of the Data Protection Commissioner, has contacted TikTok and sought to ascertain the level of compliance to ensure the privacy of individuals is respected, provide details on the effectiveness of age verification and content filtering, and demonstrate compliance with requirements of the Data Protection Act, 2019."
On Thursday, Kindiki revealed that the government has reached out to TikTok, expressing dissatisfaction with their compliance with Kenyan laws.
Speaking before the Public Petitions Committee, the CS highlighted that the company behind TikTok should respond to the letter
Kindiki stated that failure to do so may lead to administrative action by the ministry.
The CS went further and said that it would be premature to ban TikTok in Kenya without taking into account the perspectives of the owners and potential impacts on users.
