TikTok has announced it removed more than 450,000 videos from its platform in Kenya in the first quarter of this year. This staggering figure, detailed in the company's Q1 2025 Community Guidelines Enforcement report, is a clear signal that the video-sharing giant is taking decisive action to combat harmful content and protect its user base.
What is particularly impressive is the speed and efficiency of this moderation. According to TikTok, a remarkable 92.1 per cent of these videos were removed before they were even viewed, while others were taken down within 24 hours of being posted. This proactive approach is a cornerstone of the platform's strategy, which relies on a sophisticated combination of "advanced automated moderation technologies with the expertise of thousands of trust and safety professionals." The company reiterated that this dual approach is "vital in mitigating the damaging effects of misinformation, hate speech, and violent material on the platform," and boasts a proactive detection rate that is now at 99 per cent globally.
The crackdown was not limited to videos alone. The report also reveals that in the same three-month period, "43,000 accounts in Kenya were banned for allegedly violating Community Guidelines." Similar measures were applied to the platform’s real-time content, with a staggering "19 million live rooms" stopped worldwide between January and March. TikTok views this as a sign of its moderation accuracy, noting that the number of user appeals has remained steady even as automated moderation has increased. In a further move to ensure safety, TikTok has also "intensified its LIVE Monetisation Guidelines" to provide creators and viewers with clear rules on what content is not eligible for monetization.
TikTok is also actively working to foster a safer environment through community partnerships. In a significant step, the company has partnered with Childline Kenya to provide young users with expert support when they report content related to suicide, self-harm, hate, or harassment. This collaboration highlights a broader commitment to providing a safety net for its most vulnerable users. The company has also advised all Kenyans to actively participate in this effort by reporting any content, comments, or accounts that "appear to violate the platform’s standards via the TikTok Help Centre."
