tiktok - The African Mirror

Aug

23

2024

TikTok tightens safety nets in Africa as user base expands

NEWS

TIKTOK is taking new steps to protect its growing African user base by launching its first-ever Safety Advisory Council on the continent. This move comes as the ByteDance-owned platform continues to surge in popularity, especially among Africa’s young and tech-savvy population. With smartphones becoming more accessible and internet use skyrocketing, Africa has become a key battleground for social media platforms. But with growth comes responsibility, and TikTok is under pressure to address the spread of misinformation and protect its youngest users from online dangers. Governments across Africa are pushing for tighter control over digital spaces, which TikTok’s new council aims…

Jun

20

2024

By BONFACE ORUCHO AND FISKE NYIRONGO

bird TenX: Top African skit makers

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE rise of skit-making in Africa underscores the depth of the continent’s digital revolution. With over 526 million internet users in 2021, Africa has seen a surge in content creators harnessing social media’s vast reach. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok serve as stages for skit makers to showcase their talent, in some cases resulting in viral fame and even fortune. Skit-making also adds substantially to the bottom line of Africa’s creative sector. Projected to reach US$12 billion by 2025 in East, West and Southern Africa alone, the sector is increasingly driven by online video content. Skit makers stimulate job…

May

18

2024

By STEPHEN MUTIE

TikTok in Kenya: the government wants to restrict it, but my study shows it can be useful and empowering

SPECIAL FEATURES: ANALYSIS

EVERY day, 750 million people around the world engage with TikTok – the short-video sharing app. Kenyans are among its top users. According to a Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023, 54% of Kenyans sampled used TikTok for general purposes, the highest proportion among the countries in the survey. They also use TikTok to express themselves and connect with others. The app, launched in 2018, has become an integral part of social media culture, offering a space for creativity, entertainment and community interaction. It’s particularly known for its memetic videos, which often feature lip-syncing, dance routines and comedic skits. But…

Apr

26

2024

By ADAM SMITH

TikTok bans: What could they mean for you?

WORLD

THE U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that would give Chinese tech company ByteDance about six months to divest video-sharing app TikTok or face a U.S. ban. Driven by national security concerns, lawmakers have agreed to fast-track a vote on the legislation in the most significant move against the app since former president Donald Trump unsuccessfully tried to ban it in 2020. This is my message to TikTok: break up with the Chinese Communist Party or lose access to your American users," Mike Gallagher, the Republican chair of the House of Representatives select China committee, said after the bill was agreed. "America's…

Apr

26

2024

By DUNCAN MIRIRI

Kenyan government recommends regulating, not banning, TikTok

NEWS

KENYA'S government has advised lawmakers against banning TikTok over concerns about content shared on the platform and instead recommended stricter oversight by regulators. A panel in parliament has been considering a petition from a Kenyan citizen to ban the Chinese-owned platform. The recommendation follows accusations from the interior ministry that the platform has been used to spread propaganda, carry out fraud and distribute sexual content. "Rather than imposing a ban on TikTok, the ministry proposes adoption of a co-regulation model," the information and communication ministry said in an advisory to the panel, which was shared with Reuters on Thursday. The ministry proposed…

Mar

22

2024

By DUNCAN MIRIRI

Kenya tells TikTok to show it is complying with privacy laws

NEWS

KENYA has demanded that TikTok show it is adhering to local privacy and user verification laws, the interior minister said, saying the platform has been used to spread propaganda, carry out fraud and distribute sexual content. TikTok and other social media companies are under pressure from regulators around the world to shield users from harmful content and criminals who take advantage of the sites. "The government, through the office of the Data Protection Commissioner, has contacted TikTok and raised concerns relating to its processing activities," Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki told a parliamentary committee. TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company…

Oct

07

2023

By The African Mirror

Senegal seeks regulation deal with TikTok after ban

NEWS

SENEGALESE authorities refused to lift a ban on the social media app TikTok as they demanded that the company sign an agreement that would allow the creation of a mechanism to remove accounts. "For the time being, the restriction is being maintained pending the conclusion of a comprehensive written agreement," communications minister Moussa Bocar Thiam told a press conference, adding that authorities were in discussions with TikTok. Authorities blocked access to TikTok in August following the arrest of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, saying the platform was being used to distribute "hateful and subversive messages" that were threatening the stability of the country.…

Sep

28

2023

By The African Mirror

Top Nigerian striker threatens legal action against Napoli

FOOTBALL

NAPOLI striker Victor Osimhen's agent said he "reserves the right to take legal action" against the club after a video mocking the player was posted and then deleted from the Serie A side's official TikTok on Tuesday. Roberto Calenda released a statement on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, saying the video caused "very serious damage to the player". "What happened today on Napoli's official profile on the TikTok platform is not acceptable. A video mocking Victor was first made public and then, but now belatedly, deleted," said Calenda. "We reserve the right to take legal action and any…

Jul

09

2023

By LUCY GITHUGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

State of the news: Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa push African countries high up the media trust ladder, TikTok advancing rapidly

MEDIA FREEDOM

ACCORDING to the recently released Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023, Kenya has the second-highest level of trust in the news of all countries included in the global report. At 63%, Kenyans' trust in the news is remarkably high, surpassed only by Finland (at 69%). Kenyan commercial TV outlets are that country's most trusted news sources, alongside the Daily Nation newspaper and its associated website, according to the report. Portugal ranked third with a score of 58%, while Nigeria and South Africa tied for fourth place with 57% each, according to the twelfth edition of the report, published by the…

Mar

01

2023

By The African Mirror

Exclusive: White House sets deadline for purging TikTok from federal devices

WORLD

DAVID SHEPARDSON The White House gave government agencies 30 days to ensure they do not have the Chinese-owned app TikTok on federal devices and systems. In a bid to keep U.S. data safe, all federal agencies must eliminate TikTok from phones and systems and prohibit internet traffic from reaching the company, Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young told agencies in a guidance memorandum seen by Reuters. The ban, ordered by Congress late last year, follows similar actions from Canada, the EU, Taiwan and more than half of U.S. states. The device ban — while impacting a tiny portion of TikTok's…