Social media giant TikTok removed more than 580 000 videos posted in Kenya between July and September 2025 after they violated its community guidelines.
The popular digital platform described the crackdown as part of an intensifying global challenge around consent, privacy and offensive content online.
The platform also took down nearly 90,000 livestreams in the same period, demonstrating the depth of enforcement required as short-form video surges in popularity across Africa and the world.
According to TikTok’s Q3 2025 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, 99.7% of the Kenyan videos were removed proactively by automated systems before any user reported them, and 94.6% were deleted within 24 hours of posting.
The company says the rapid action reflects deeper investment in artificial intelligence moderation tools and proactive safety measures.
“Protecting our community and enforcing our guidelines consistently at scale is a priority. These removals demonstrate our ongoing commitment to safer experiences, especially in high-growth markets like Kenya,” TikTok disclosed.
The disclosure arrives amid renewed public concern in Kenya over covert recording and sharing of content involving individuals without consent, particularly women, amplifying debates about digital privacy and online harms.
Critics argue that current moderation systems must better detect low-visibility abuse patterns such as hidden recordings, and there needs to be clearer escalation pathways for local users.
“We need sharper triggers for hidden recording, stronger limits on repeat offenders, and more responsive local reporting channels,” said digital rights advocate Aisha Kamau. “Prevention and deterrence matter as much as takedowns.”
TikTok’s enforcement figures also mirror wider global content safety pressures. Worldwide, the platform removed over 204 million videos during the same quarter, about 0.7% of all content uploaded, with most flagged before reporting.
TikTok’s popularity in Kenya has soared alongside this enforcement challenge. As of early 2025, over 15.1 million adults in Kenya were actively using TikTok, nearly 55% of all internet users, an audience that grew by more than 40% year-on-year.
The platform is especially popular among Gen Z, with a large share of daily users under 30, driving trends in music, comedy, lifestyle and social commentary.
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