The Kenyan government has ordered TikTok to remove all explicit content involving minors following a media report showing child exploitation on the platform.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, March 6, 2025, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) expressed concern over a BBC investigative report published on March 3, 2025, titled “TikTok Profiting from Sexual Livestreams in Kenya Involving Children.”
According to the Authority, the investigation uncovered instances where minors were selling sexual content through TikTok livestreams, with the platform retaining a significant commission from these transactions.
“The report alleges the involvement of minors in the sale of sexual content via live streams on TikTok, with the platform reportedly retaining a significant commission from the content. These allegations raise serious issues regarding the exploitation of vulnerable individuals, including children, and the adequacy of content moderation on digital platforms operating within Kenya,” CA Director General David Mugonyi stated.
Immediate actions
While citing the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, the Children Act, the Data Protection Act and regulations under the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), Mugonyi CA termed these acts a violation of both Kenyan and international child protection laws.
“Our laws are in full alignment with international instruments, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), particularly Article 34 on protection from sexual exploitation, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Child Online Protection Guidelines,” he stated.
The Authority outlined several immediate actions in response to the report including ordering TikTok to actively remove all sexual content involving minors on their platform, including livestreams.
“In response to this report by the BBC, we are taking the following immediate actions: Directing TikTok to actively pull down all sexual content involving minors on their platform, including on livestreams,” Mugonyi stated.
Additionally, the authority announced a formal inquiry in collaboration with other government agencies, vowing to take legal action against any breaches of the law.
TikTok has also been directed to explain how explicit content involving minors bypasses its moderation systems.
“TikTok must also present a plan to show how they intend to enhance these mechanisms to strengthen child protection and prevent exploitation of minors on the platform, and demonstrate compliance with Kenyan and international law,” the authority stated.
It further pledged to intensify public education on child online protection, urging parents and guardians to utilize available parental control tools to safeguard children from harmful content.
Previous warnings
According to Mugonyi, this is not the first time TikTok has faced scrutiny in Kenya.
In 2023, the authority directed the social media platform to address content moderation challenges, after which TikTok committed to enhancing regulatory oversight.
“TikTok committed to enhance regulatory oversight and establish a local office to coordinate operations in Kenya. These new allegations suggest that significant gaps remain in the platform’s enforcement of its own policies against solicitation and exploitation” the Authority noted.
