Report Shows A Drop in Explicit Content on TikTok in Kenya

TikTok’s latest Community Guidelines Enforcement Report for the third quarter reveals a slight decrease in the number of inappropriate videos removed in Kenya compared to the previous quarter. Over 334,000 videos were taken down, with 88.9% removed before being viewed and 93% within 24 hours of posting.

This number is down from the second quarter, where over 360,000 videos were removed, representing approximately 0.3% of all videos uploaded in Kenya during that period.

The Q3 report highlights that the majority of removed videos in Kenya fell under categories like integrity and authenticity (99.7% removed proactively, 94% within 24 hours), mental and behavioral health (99.9% proactively, 96.4% within 24 hours), youth safety and well-being (99.7% proactively, 94.3% within 24 hours), and sensitive and mature themes (99.5% proactively, 95.8% within 24 hours). The platform emphasized its localized content screening strategy in Kenya, suggesting a tailored approach to moderation in the country.

This report comes after facing criticism in 2023 regarding content moderation. A petition to Parliament, citing concerns about explicit content and a lack of moderation, sparked a national debate and led to TikTok executives appearing before the Parliamentary Petitions Committee. While a complete ban was rejected, the committee recommended improvements to TikTok’s moderation strategy, including establishing a Kenyan office.

Globally, TikTok removed over 147 million videos in Q3, with 118 million identified and removed by automated systems, demonstrating a 98.2% proactive detection rate. The platform stated its commitment to building a safe environment for Kenyan users through investment in technology, safety teams, and local partnerships. “These efforts demonstrate a proactive detection rate of 98.2%, setting a high standard for content moderation globally. In Kenya, TikTok’s localized enforcement of its policies underscores its commitment to meeting the unique needs of its growing user base,” the report stated.