September 9, 2024

TikTok Launches A First-Of-Its-Kind Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Safety Council

TikTok council

TikTok has announced the formation of its inaugural Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council, an initiative aimed at ensuring user safety across the region.

This council, the first of its kind for a tech platform in Sub-Saharan Africa, was launched in Nairobi, Kenya.

A Regional First for Tech Safety

With millions of Africans using the platform for creativity and self-expression, the new council brings together independent experts across various fields, from youth safety to combating hate speech, to help shape policies that maintain TikTok’s reputation as a safe online environment.

The council’s members hail from several African nations, including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, and Ethiopia. 

TikTok

Their collective expertise will inform the platform’s strategies on both existing safety issues and those anticipated in the future. 

Key figures include Lillian Kariuki, Executive Director of Watoto Watch Network (Kenya), Dr. Akinola Olojo, a violent extremism expert (Nigeria), and Aisha Dabo, Co-Founder of AfricTivistes (Senegal).

Expanding TikTok’s Global Safety Network

Since 2020, TikTok has been establishing Safety Advisory Councils globally, including nine regional councils and a US-based Content Advisory Council. 

The Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council expands this effort by incorporating African voices into TikTok’s Trust and Safety initiatives. 

These councils play a crucial role in refining platform policies, protecting users, and enhancing product features.

“With the launch of the Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council, we are demonstrating our commitment to including expert African voices in our Trust and Safety work,” said Valiant Richey, TikTok’s Global Head of Outreach and Partnerships.

“This group of leaders was chosen for their broad range of expertise and experience, and we look forward to working with them over the coming years.”

The council aims to promote positive conversations on platform safety, ensuring TikTok remains a secure space, particularly for the region’s youth. 

“I am pleased to be part of this new Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council for TikTok,” said Peter Cunliffe-Jones, University of Westminster Visiting Research Fellow.

“It is great that TikTok has learned from the experiences of other platforms and is putting into place regional advisory councils so early in its lifetime.”


Feature Image Credit: Handout: TikTok

Sara Keenan

A multi-hyphenate journalist and podcaster based in London. Previously, a tech reporter at POCIT.