Kenyan Members of Parliament have decided not to ban TikTok, instead opting for stricter regulations to protect minors, safeguard local data, and promote the growth of the digital economy.
The decision followed a petition filed in August 2023 by Bob Ndolo, who raised concerns that TikTok exposes young people to sexual content, violence, hate speech, and other offensive material, threatening cultural and religious values.
During a parliamentary debate on February 17, 2026, MPs emphasized that banning TikTok would infringe on citizens’ rights and hinder digital economic growth. Karemba Muchangi, Chair of the Public Petitions Committee, noted that social media is essential for communication, creativity, and entrepreneurship among the youth.
Tom Joseph Kajwang’, MP for Ruaraka, highlighted mental health challenges, data privacy violations, and social isolation among teenagers as key concerns, justifying the need for regulation rather than a ban.
The Committee directed the Ministry of Interior & National Administration and the Ministry of ICT & the Digital Economy to work on measures including:
Enhanced age verification for users
Localisation of Kenyan user data
Establishing local infrastructure for data security
Implementing digital literacy programs to raise awareness on data privacy and responsible social media use
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) will engage social media platforms, including TikTok, to ensure compliance with Kenyan laws and report on the effectiveness of age verification, content filtering, and Kenya-specific privacy terms.
The Parliamentary Committee also recommended amendments to the Kenya Information and Communications Act to empower the Communications Authority of Kenya to regulate social media platforms and monitor content moderation, including auditing AI systems, training algorithms in local languages, and providing sufficient human moderators.
TikTok has already intensified content policing in Kenya, removing over 580,000 videos between July and September 2025 for violating its community guidelines. The regulation aims to balance youth protection, cultural values, and the benefits of social media for Kenya’s digital economy.
