TikTok has ramped up its safety initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa with the launch of its first Safety Advisory Council and the expansion of its #SaferTogether community education campaign.
The announcements were made at TikTok’s Safety Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, marking a significant step in enhancing the platform’s security measures in the region.
The newly established Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council is a pivotal part of TikTok’s strategy to create a safer online environment. This council, which includes experts in youth safety, free expression, and combating hate speech, will work closely with TikTok to address regional safety concerns and develop forward-thinking policies. The council’s diverse membership reflects a commitment to including African perspectives in the platform’s Trust and Safety efforts.
Members of the council include Prof. Guy Berger from Rhodes University in South Africa, Ghanaian content creator Dennis Coffie, Peter Cunliffe-Jones, a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Westminster in the UK, Aisha Dabo, Co-Founder of AfricTivistes in Senegal, Lillian Kariuki, Founder of the Watoto Watch Network in Kenya, Dr. Akinola Olojo, an expert on violent extremism from Nigeria, Prof. Medhane Tadesse, a policy academic focusing on peace and security issues from Ethiopia, and Berhan Taye, an independent researcher also from Ethiopia.
TikTok’s #SaferTogether campaign focuses on educating the community about the platform’s safety features and guidelines. This campaign encourages users to actively participate in maintaining a secure environment by understanding and following TikTok’s Community Guidelines. Through workshops, social media outreach, and partnerships with key stakeholders, TikTok aims to foster a collective responsibility for safety on the platform.
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Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, Director of Government Relations & Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted the campaign’s significance, noting that safety is a shared responsibility, and calling on the TikTok community to join in making the platform safer by adhering to guidelines and utilizing available safety features.
In Kenya, the #SaferTogether campaign has already made substantial progress, engaging over 64,000 students, 467 parents, and 346 teachers through workshops, and reaching youth aged 13 to 24 across 26 out of 47 counties. These efforts underscore TikTok’s dedication to creating a secure space for creative expression in Sub-Saharan Africa, reinforcing its commitment to user safety on a global scale.
