The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has launched an investigation into TikTok following a BBC exposé that revealed the platform is profiting from sexual livestreams involving minors in Kenya.
The report, published on March 3, 2025, detailed how children as young as 15 are using TikTok to solicit payments for explicit content.
CA Director General David Mugonyi has demanded that TikTok explain how such content bypasses its content 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,” Mugonyi stated.
Mugonyi further directed TikTok to actively remove all sexual content involving minors, including livestreams. He emphasized that the CA, in collaboration with relevant government agencies, would formally investigate the allegations and take necessary legal action against any breaches.
The BBC investigation uncovered that TikTok is taking a significant cut from transactions occurring on these livestreams, with reports indicating the company earns about 70% of the revenue generated. Content moderators who spoke to the BBC admitted that TikTok is aware of these activities but has been slow to clamp down on them due to the platform’s financial gains.
The exposé featured testimonies from Kenyan women who started engaging in these activities as teenagers. They revealed how TikTok is used to advertise and negotiate payments for explicit content, which is then shared via private messaging platforms. The BBC also found that TikTok Live streams from Kenya attract large international audiences, with performers using coded sexual language to solicit gifts, which can be converted into cash.
A former TikTok content moderator, identified as Jo, disclosed that approximately 80% of livestreams flagged on the platform involved sexual content or the solicitation of sexual services. Jo, along with other moderators, accused TikTok of failing to address the issue effectively, despite having been aware of child exploitation concerns since 2022.
The report also highlighted how some users act as digital pimps, recruiting minors to perform on livestreams and taking a share of their earnings. One teenager, identified as Esther, shared that she began livestreaming at the age of 15 and was pressured by her handler to increase her online activity to maximize profits. Some victims have also reported being coerced into in-person sexual encounters with TikTok users.
TikTok, in response to the allegations, stated that it has a “zero tolerance for exploitation” and enforces strict safety policies, including moderation in 70 languages, among them Swahili. The company also pointed to its partnerships with local organizations and safety advisory councils across Africa to improve content regulation.
The revelations come as Kenya’s government faces mounting pressure to strengthen digital content regulation. In 2023, President William Ruto met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to discuss content moderation, with the company promising to enhance its oversight and establish an office in Kenya. However, according to the BBC investigation, these measures have yet to be implemented.
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