TikTok has announced an 8-member team, including one Kenyan, for its first-ever Safety Advisory Council in Sub-Saharan Africa. The announcement was made during TikTok’s Safety Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, coinciding with the expansion of its #SaferTogether community education campaign.
The council, which includes policymakers, academics, NGO representatives, and community leaders, aims to collaborate on creating a safe and positive environment on the platform. Lillian Kariuki, Founder and Executive Director of Watoto Watch Network, is the only Kenyan on the council.
Other members of the council include Prof. Guy Berger (Rhodes University, South Africa), Dennis Coffie (Content creator, Ghana), Peter Cunliffe-Jones (Visiting Research Fellow, University of Westminster, UK), Aisha Dabo (Co-Founder and Coordinator of AfricTivistes, Senegal), Dr. Akinola Olojo (Expert in countering violent extremism, Nigeria), Prof. Medhane Tadesse (Policy academic on peace and security, Ethiopia), and Berhan Taye (Independent Researcher, Ethiopia).
Since 2020, TikTok has formed nine regional Safety Advisory Councils and a U.S. Content Advisory Council, involving experts in areas like youth safety, free expression, and hate speech. These councils are integral to shaping TikTok’s policies, product features, and safety processes to address emerging challenges.
Valiant Richey, Global Head of Outreach and Partnerships for Trust and Safety at TikTok, said, “With the launch of the Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council, we are committed to including expert African voices in our trust and safety efforts.
This group of leaders was selected for their diverse expertise and experience, and we look forward to working with them.”
TikTok’s #SaferTogether campaign aims to actively engage the community in understanding the platform’s community guidelines and safety features through workshops, social media outreach, and partnerships with key stakeholders. Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, Director of Government Relations & Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted that the campaign emphasizes safety as a shared responsibility.
The additional layer provided by the Safety Advisory Council is expected to enhance collective efforts in making TikTok a safer platform.
