Government seeks assurances from TikTok to curb misinformation ahead of 2027 elections
Government seeks assurances from TikTok to curb misinformation ahead of 2027 elections
The government, through the Ministry of Information, Communications, and Digital Economy, has sought assurances from TikTok over measures to safeguard the integrity and prevent misinformation ahead of and during the 2027 general election period.
Speaking after meeting with TikTok leadership, Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo said he sought clarity on TikTok tools that will detect misinformation and curb coordinated disinformation campaigns on the platform.
Kabogo emphasized that while the government welcomes innovation and the growth of the digital economy, social media platforms must take greater responsibility in preventing the spread of misinformation, particularly during election periods.
“I sought clear assurances on TikTok’s tools to detect misinformation and prevent coordinated disinformation campaigns,” he stated.
The meeting came ahead of the TikTok Safer Internet Summit 2026 that is expected to take place on Tuesday, March 10, and Wednesday, March 11.
The summit comes days after the national assembly declined a bill to ban TikTok in Kenya, citing job losses, especially among the youth.
Kenya has more than 17 million TikTok users, making the platform a significant driver of the country’s creative economy.
The CS added that the platform must align its operations with Kenya’s regulatory framework, including compliance with the country’s Data Protection Act (Kenya).
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“I emphasised that while we welcome innovation, digital safety is a shared responsibility. We are strengthening content moderation and age verification to protect our children and vulnerable groups,” he added.
At the same time, he noted that the government is working with the company to strengthen content moderation and introduce stricter age-verification measures to protect children and other vulnerable groups online.
According to Kabogo, enhanced collaboration between the government and global technology companies will help build a digital ecosystem anchored in innovation, trust, and safety.
The CS challenged TikTok to expand its operational presence in Kenya and invest more resources in moderating content in local African languages.
This also comes as the National Assembly has rejected an outright ban on TikTok, opting instead for, and recommending, stricter regulations to curb harmful content while protecting the digital economy on February 18.
The Public Petitions Committee ruled that a total ban would stifle economic growth and infringe on fundamental rights.
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