Kenyan creators are set to benefit from an empowering program that will increase their output, quality, earnings, and digital know-how.
President William Ruto has emphasized the importance of enabling Kenyan creatives to earn a livelihood from their talent in crafting quality content.
President Ruto announced that TikTok will initiate a nationwide training initiative in Kenya, aimed at equipping content creators with a profound understanding of the platform. The initiative intends to bolster monetization opportunities and encourage the creation of positive content.
The President’s remarks were made during a meeting held at State House Nairobi, where he welcomed Director of TikTok Africa, Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, and ICT Principal Secretary John Tanui, among other dignitaries.
During this gathering, discussions revolved around issues related to content moderation and strategies for enhancing monetization on the TikTok platform.
President Ruto reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Kenyan creatives by stating,
“Kenyan creatives deserve to earn a living through their ability to produce high-quality content. TikTok will roll out a national training program in Kenya to empower content creators, offering them comprehensive platform knowledge, facilitating increased monetization opportunities, and promoting the creation of positive content.”
The move comes barely a fortnight after the president spoke to TikTok’s CEO via a virtual meeting in an effort to control its explicit content.
A majority of Kenyan leaders wanted the platform banned but the president opted to address it with the company first before any aggressive move.
TikTok revealed it’s looking to set up a Kenyan Office to coordinate its operations in the continent
The meeting comes after a private citizen presented a petition in parliament for the platform to be banned in the East African community for promoting obscenity.
“The petitioner decries that while it has gained popularity among the youth, the content that is being shared on the platform is inappropriate thus promoting violence, explicit sexual content, and hate speech.” Parliament speaker Moses Wetangula shared.
TikTok to moderate it’s content in Kenya
Addressing content regulation, President Ruto said they agreed to work together in reviewing content.
“Kenya will work with the short-form video hosting service TikTok in reviewing and monitoring its content to ensure that it adheres to the agreed community guidelines and standards.” He shared on Twitter, adding …
“It is our commitment that we bring up our children in the right environment.”
TikTok also recently announced changes to meet EU regulations
