TikTok Launches Industry-First Safety Advisory Council For Sub-Saharan Africa

TikTok has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative to enhance user safety across Sub-Saharan Africa by launching its inaugural Safety Advisory Council. The announcement, made during TikTok’s Safety Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, underscores the platform’s commitment to creating a secure and positive environment for its users in the region.

The new council marks a significant step in TikTok’s global safety strategy. It brings together a diverse group of experts, including academics, NGOs, content creators, and community leaders, to provide localised insights and recommendations on safety issues. This initiative expands on TikTok’s existing network of Safety Advisory Councils, which have been instrumental in shaping the platform’s safety policies worldwide.

The council members of the Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council are:
Prof Guy Berger, Rhodes University (South Africa)
Dennis Coffie, Content creator (Ghana)
Peter Cunliffe-Jones, University of Westminster Visiting Research Fellow (UK)
Aisha Dabo, Co-Founder and coordinator of AfricTivistes (Senegal)
Lillian Kariuki, Founder and Executive Director of Watoto Watch Network (Kenya)
Dr Akinola Olojo, Expert on preventing and countering violent extremism (Nigeria)
Prof Medhane Tadesse, Policy academic on peace and security issues (Ethiopia)
Berhan Taye, Independent Researcher (Ethiopia)

These experts will work closely with TikTok to address regional safety concerns and develop proactive strategies to manage emerging challenges.

Valiant Richey, the Global Head of Outreach and Partnerships, Trust and Safety, TikTok said regarding the council, “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. 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.”

Alongside the council, TikTok is launching the latest phase of its #SaferTogether campaign. This initiative focuses on educating the community about safety features and community guidelines through workshops, social media outreach, and partnerships with local stakeholders. The campaign aims to promote a shared responsibility for safety and encourage users to engage actively with the platform’s safety tools.

Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, the Director of Government Relations & Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, noted the campaign’s goal of fostering a collaborative approach to online safety. She stated, “The community empowerment campaign highlights the importance of safety being a shared responsibility. This part of the campaign will speak directly to the TikTok community, to join us in making TikTok a safer space for all by ensuring they follow the Community Guidelines and use the safety features available to them. With the additional layer that the Safety Advisory Council presents, we believe that safety can be achieved, collectively.”

TikTok’s #SaferTogether workshops have already made a notable impact in Kenya, reaching over 64,000 students and numerous parents and educators. The campaign also extended to Nigeria in 2022, and earlier this year, TikTok partnered with the African Union Commission’s Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate (WGYD) at the inaugural TikTok Safer Internet Summit in Ghana to promote digital literacy across the continent.

Safaricom, a key strategic partner, has voiced strong support for TikTok’s safety initiatives. “At Safaricom, we see the internet as a resource that everyone should have access to, safely. Having witnessed the announcement of the TikTok Safety Advisory Council and the launch of the #SaferTogether campaign, we commend TikTok’s efforts in bringing together various stakeholders for a common goal – ensuring online safety and promoting the safe use of its platform across Africa,” said Fawzia Ali, Chief Consumer Business Officer, Safaricom PLC.

As TikTok continues to foster discussions and gather feedback through these initiatives, the company remains dedicated to upholding platform integrity and safeguarding its user community across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Melissa Enoch

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