TikTok has unveiled a new safety advisory council specifically for sub-Saharan Africa, aimed at enhancing security and promoting safe practices on the platform. The council, which will work closely with policymakers, academia, NGOs, and community leaders, is designed to foster a collaborative approach to tackling safety concerns in the region.
The council is composed of eight members with diverse expertise:
Prof Guy Berger (Rhodes University, South Africa), Dennis Coffie (Content Creator, Ghana), Peter Cunliffe-Jones (University of Westminster Visiting Research Fellow, UK), Aisha Dabo (Co-founder and Coordinator of AfricTivistes, Senegal), Lillian Kariuki (Founder and Executive Director of Watoto Watch Network, Kenya), Akinola Olojo (Expert on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, Nigeria), Prof Medhane Tadesse (Policy Academic on Peace and Security Issues, Ethiopia) and Berhan Taye (Independent Researcher, Ethiopia)
“This group of leaders was chosen for their broad range of expertise and experience,” said Valiant Richey, TikTok's global head of outreach and partnerships, trust, and safety.
With online safety becoming an increasing concern as more people engage with social media, the council will work to address regional safety issues and develop forward-looking policies for TikTok. This initiative aligns with TikTok’s broader #SaferTogether campaign, which aims to educate users on the platform's community guidelines and safety features through workshops, social media outreach, and partnerships.
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, along with Meta and Google, had previously signed a cooperation agreement with the Electoral Commission of South Africa to combat misinformation ahead of the country’s national general election. This new advisory council seeks to build on similar objectives, with a stronger emphasis on user education and community collaboration.
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