TikTok has launched its first Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council, a pioneering move aimed at strengthening user safety across the region. The initiative, announced at TikTok’s Safety Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, underscores the platform’s commitment to including African voices in its Trust and Safety efforts.
The Safety Advisory Council brought together experts from diverse sectors across Sub-Saharan Africa to address local challenges, shape TikTok’s policies, and ensure a secure digital environment for its community. This council includes prominent figures such as Prof. Guy Berger from South Africa’s Rhodes University, content creator Dennis Coffie from Ghana, and Dr. Akinola Olojo, a Nigerian expert on preventing violent extremism.
According to Valiant Richey, TikTok’s Global Head of Outreach and Partnerships for Trust and Safety, “With the launch of the Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council, we are demonstrating our commitment to including expert African voices in our Trust and Safety work. This group of leaders was chosen for their broad range of expertise and experience, and we look forward to working with them over the coming years.”
The council will not only address immediate safety issues but also anticipate emerging risks across the region, providing guidance on policy development and safety measures.
TikTok has already established nine Safety Advisory Councils globally since 2020, with each region’s council playing a key role in shaping platform policies, addressing issues such as youth safety, free expression, and hate speech.
Additionally, TikTok announced the expansion of its #SaferTogether community education campaign, designed to raise awareness of the platform’s community guidelines and safety features. Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, TikTok’s Director of Government Relations & Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasized the importance of collective responsibility: “With the additional layer that the Safety Advisory Council presents, we believe that safety can be achieved, collectively.”
Since its inception, the #SaferTogether campaign has made significant strides in Kenya, engaging over 64,000 students, parents, and teachers through workshops across 26 counties. Similar initiatives are underway in Nigeria, with plans to roll out more digital literacy programs across Africa in collaboration with the African Union Commission.
TikTok’s efforts have received strong support from Safaricom, a long-time partner. Fawzia Ali, Chief Consumer Business Officer at Safaricom PLC, praised the platform’s focus on safety, stating, “We commend TikTok’s efforts in bringing together various stakeholders for a common goal – ensuring online safety and promoting the safe use of its platform across Africa.”
With these efforts, TikTok aims to build a safer, more positive online space for users in Sub-Saharan Africa while empowering the community to protect themselves and others.
