TikTok posing huge security threats, Kindiki tells committee

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The government now claims that social media platforms including TikTok pose a threat to security in the country.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, appearing before the Public Petitions Committee on Thursday, March 21, claimed that the social media application is being used to “generate war propaganda and spread malicious and unlawful content.”

Hence, his Ministry has written to the said platform after it failed to comply with Kenyan laws.

“Tiktok and other social media platforms are increasingly being used to spread malicious content which is illegal and a violation of fundamental freedom,” said Kindiki.

The Interior CS further claimed that some terror groups including Al Shabaab are using the platforms to generate propaganda for war and advance terror ideologies.

“This is happening across the globe and we are keen to stop it in Kenya before it goes out of hand,” he said, revealing that failure to comply with the Kenyan laws could result in administrative action against the giant company.

"We should work out a program where we have a policy that is evidence-based to assess whether the risks are more prominent than the benefits," the CS said.

Kindiki also hinted that government officials could soon be barred from using the platform, owing to ‘security threats.’

Last year, President William Ruto held a virtual meeting with Tiktok’s Chief Executive Officer Shou Zi Chew and it was agreed that the short-form video platform would work closely with the Kenyan government in reviewing and monitoring its content.

In August 2023, Members of Parliament held divided opinions over a motion proposing the ban of TikTok.

The motion was moved by a petitioner, Bob Ndolo, who wants the popular video-sharing app banned for its inappropriate content.