TikTok is a popular social media app that allows users to create, watch, and share 15-second videos shot on mobile devices or webcams. With its personalized feeds of quirky short videos set to music and sound effects, the app is notable for its addictive quality and high levels of engagement.
Amateur and professional creators alike can add effects like filters, background music, and stickers to their videos, and can collaborate on content and create split-screen duet videos even if they’re in different locations.
Kenya government is planning to put measures into place to regulate TikTok content that reaches the youth. With more than 2.5 billion downloads, TikTok is a very valuable app.
Speaking in an interview at Capital FM, Information, Communications and The Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo stated that plans are underway to have a virtual interview where he will join President William Ruto and TikTok CEO, Shou Zi Chew to discuss how to regulate the content.
TikTok app saw about 1 billion global daily users by early 2022. Despite political pressure on operating in certain places such as the United States, it continues to gain in popularity.
Launched in its present form in 2018, TikTok joined the ranks of social media giants in record time. It had about one billion active monthly users worldwide by September 2021.
A 2022 marketing report by data.ai (formerly App Annie) predicted that TikTok will break three billion downloads worldwide as well as users spending $3 billion across iOS and Google Play by the end of the year.
Like all social media companies, TikTok has been the target of persistent concerns about the potential use or misuse of the private information that it gathers about its users.
CS Owalo said that ICT is the most critical success factor in Kenya, adding that the government is planning to roll out 100,000 KM of fiber optic cable and empower youth with digital skills to help them get jobs in the digital space.
He reiterated that the government is digitizing its records and digitalizing its services; so far, it has on boarded 5,084 services on the e-citizen platform.
“This means that you can consume government services from the comfort of wherever you are, including but not limited to your house.
“We will eliminate those who have been domiciled in government offices asking for kickbacks, we will do away with corruption in government through this digitalization process and eliminate the revenue leakages,” the CS added.
The CS further emphasized that digitalizing government services will make it easier for Kenyans living abroad to transact with the government without having to physically come to the country.
He observed that WorldCoin is a case under investigation by various agencies of government, including Parliament, and therefore did not wish to discuss the matter further to avoid jeopardizing the ongoing investigations.
CS Owalo revealed that there is one payment platform for purposes of collecting all government revenue, and all Ministries and agencies will follow the stipulated guidelines.
He highlighted that the government is purposing to ensure mobile smart phones are available at an affordable price of approximately 40 dollars per unit.
by: SadiqSaad