The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) will be launching an official inquiry into allegations that TikTok has been profiting from sexual livestreams of Kenyan teenagers. This follows a BBC report on March 3, 2025, which exposed shocking claims that minors as young as 15 years old are using the app to livestream explicit content for money.

BBC Report: TikTok’s Role in Online Child Abuse

According to the BBC, three Kenyan women admitted to starting this activity as teenagers. The report says they openly promoted and arranged payments for explicit content on TikTok before moving the more explicit content to private messaging apps. The platform takes 70% of the revenue from these livestreams.

The CA said in a statement “These allegations raise serious concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable individuals, including children and the adequacy of content moderation on digital platforms operating in Kenya.”

Kenyan Laws TikTok May Have Broken

Kenya’s digital regulator which oversees digital platforms has confirmed it is working with other government agencies to investigate potential violations of the law. The following laws may have been breached:

  1. Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act (2018) – Prohibits online exploitation and abuse.

  2. Films and Stage Plays Act (Cap 222) – Regulates public exhibition of explicit content.

  3. Data Protection Act (Cap 411C) – Protects Kenyan citizens, particularly minors.

The CA warned that strict penalties will be applied if TikTok is found guilty.

Regulatory Demands: What TikTok Must Do

The CA has demanded that TikTok takes immediate action including:

  • Remove all sexual content involving minors from the app, including livestreams.

  • A detailed report on how such content bypasses TikTok’s moderation.

  • A comprehensive plan to enhance moderation, strengthen child protection policies and prevent further abuse.

TikTok must comply with Kenyan laws and international child protection regulations.

TikTok’s Trouble in Kenya

This is not the first time TikTok has been in trouble in Kenya. In 2023, the government asked the platform to strengthen its moderation policies, open a local office and submit a quarterly report. While TikTok removed 360,000 videos in Q2 2024 according to its Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, the latest allegations show there are still major gaps.

What’s Next for TikTok?

The CA’s investigation could lead to stricter rules for TikTok in Kenya including fines, content restrictions or even a ban if the platform is found non-compliant. The next few weeks will tell.