March 27, 2025

…As TikTok Engages African Govts to Strengthen Online Safety

Delegates from South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, and other countries have convened to discuss critical issues on online safety, content moderation, and digital policy development.

The delegates gathered at the TikTok hosted second Annual Africa Safer Internet Summit in Cape Town, South Africa, bringing together government officials, regulators, and industry leaders from across Sub-Saharan Africa.

TikTok says it is also making a significant step in amplifying youth voices by expanding its Global Youth Council for 2025, further strengthening African representation and shaping the Future of Digital Safety in Africa.

Originally launched in 2023 to empower young users and shape platform policies, the Global Youth Council has now nearly doubled in size, featuring 28 members from 15 countries.

New representatives from Nigeria, Cameroon, Canada, Qatar, and Australia will join returning members from Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, the UK, and the US for a second term.

The Youth Council plays an important role in shaping TikTok’s safety, well-being, and inclusivity policies, ensuring that young users have a voice in the platform’s continued evolution.

Government and Industry Leaders Discuss Digital Safety
South Africa’s Hon. Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, who highlighted the importance of collaboration among governments, technology platforms, and communities to foster a safer digital ecosystem.

Helena Lersch, TikTok’s Vice President for Public Policy, in her remarks, reaffirmed the platform’s commitment to user safety and the role of partnerships in creating a secure digital environment.

“Billions of people come to TikTok every day to create, share and connect and we’re continually evolving our policies and practices to safeguard our platform so our community can discover and do what they love. This summit underscores the importance of collaboration between industry leaders and regulators in shaping a digital ecosystem that is both innovative and secure,” said Lersch.

Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, Director of Public Policy & Government Relations for Sub-Saharan Africa, further emphasised the significance of collective efforts in digital safety, stating that the Summit serves as a valuable platform for sharing insights, strengthening collaboration, and ensuring that African users, particularly young people, are protected online.
#SaferTogether – Driving Safer Digital Engagement
As part of its broader commitment to digital safety and education, TikTok is expanding its efforts across Africa through strategic partnerships and training programs that promote digital literacy, safety awareness, and responsible content creation.

At the forefront of these efforts is TikTok’s flagship #SaferTogether campaign, which has achieved notable milestones since its launch in 2022.

In Kenya, the initiative, run in partnership with Eveminet, a youth online protection organisation, has reached over 406,000 participants through in-person workshops across the country. These sessions provided communities with the knowledge and tools needed for responsible online engagement, particularly among students, teachers, and parents.

By working closely with civil society organisations, educators, and government agencies, TikTok continues to integrate proactive safety measures into its platform governance, creating safer digital environments for young users.

In Nigeria, TikTok launched Phase 2 of the #SaferTogether campaign in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Data Science Nigeria (DSN). Building on the success of Phase 1, which educated parents in major cities such as Abuja, Lagos, and Kano on TikTok’s safety features and mental well-being tools, the second phase aims to reach additional states and expand safety awareness among parents, teachers, and guardians.

Since September 2024, TikTok has also partnered with local creators across Sub-Saharan Africa to raise awareness about its safety features and Community Guidelines.

In Egypt, TikTok signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Journalists Syndicate to boost digital awareness, media literacy, and the detection of misinformation and online privacy risks.

As part of this partnership, TikTok and the Syndicate hosted a one-day workshop equipping journalists and media professionals with the skills to navigate digital technologies safely and effectively.

This collaboration underscores TikTok’s ongoing commitment to empowering media professionals and supporting a more informed and digitally literate society.

The Safer Internet Summit serves as an essential forum for best practice sharing between industry leaders and policymakers. By fostering collaboration, TikTok aims to ensure that digital spaces remain safe, inclusive, and conducive to creativity while balancing the need for effective governance and innovation.

“We value forums such as TikTok’s Safer Internet Summit, which bring policymakers into one room for a shared purpose: keeping internet users safe. We are incredibly proud to be a partner of TikTok’s #SaferTogether campaign.

This collaboration not only underscores our shared commitment to fostering a safer online environment, but also opens new avenues for innovation and collaboration that will enable us to scale our efforts effectively for a safer internet for all..,” Emmanuel Edet – Acting Director, Regulation and Compliance NITDA.

The Summit underscores TikTok’s ongoing efforts to prioritise user safety in Africa while fostering an open dialogue with policymakers to shape robust frameworks that protect users’ rights while encouraging innovation and creativity in the digital space.

Courtesy APO