Nairobi, Kenya – Tuesday, May 19, 2026 (EAT) — Social media platform TikTok has deleted more than 820,000 videos in Kenya as the company intensifies efforts to combat harmful content and improve online safety.
According to TikTok’s Q4 2025 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, released in Nairobi on Tuesday, the platform removed 820,552 videos in Kenya for violating community standards during the three-month period.
The report highlights the scale of content moderation taking place on the rapidly growing social media platform, especially as concerns rise globally over misinformation, hate speech, and child safety online.
Most Videos Removed Before Users Reported Them
TikTok said 99.9 percent of the violating videos in Kenya were detected and removed proactively before users reported them.
Additionally, the company disclosed that 98.4 percent of the flagged content was taken down within 24 hours of being uploaded.
The platform attributed the rapid removals to increased use of automated moderation systems powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.
“TikTok continues to enforce its Community Guidelines consistently and at scale, addressing harmful content such as misinformation, hate speech, and other policy violations,” the company said in the report.
Over 108,000 Kenyan Accounts Banned
The platform also banned 108,752 accounts in Kenya during the same period for violating platform rules.
A significant number of the banned accounts belonged to alleged underage users.
According to TikTok, 93,704 accounts were removed because they were linked to users below the age of 13, which violates the platform’s minimum age requirement.
The company said the crackdown formed part of broader efforts to create a safer digital environment for children and teenagers using social media platforms.
As previously reported by Sauce.co.ke in its coverage of Kenya’s growing concerns over social media regulation and online safety, regulators and digital rights groups have increasingly pushed platforms to strengthen protections for minors and curb harmful online behaviour.
Global TikTok Moderation Figures
Globally, TikTok removed 175.3 million videos during Q4 2025. The company said the figure represented roughly 0.5 percent of all uploaded content during the quarter.
Out of the removed videos worldwide:
- 152.5 million were detected using automated systems
- 99.1 percent were removed proactively
- 93.4 percent were taken down within 24 hours
However, TikTok also revealed that 8.36 million videos were later reinstated after further reviews found that some removals had been made in error.
TikTok Expands Transparency Measures
The company further announced new moderation and transparency measures rolled out in 2025.
These include:
- Expanded reporting on TikTok LIVE monetisation enforcement
- Increased transparency around comment removals
- Improved disclosures on advertising moderation
- Stronger intellectual property enforcement on TikTok Shop
TikTok said the changes aim to build trust among users, creators, advertisers, and regulators as scrutiny of major social media platforms continues to grow worldwide.
Background
TikTok remains one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in Kenya, particularly among Gen Z users and content creators.
However, the platform has also faced increasing criticism over misinformation, explicit content, cyberbullying, and child safety concerns. Kenyan lawmakers and regulators have repeatedly called for stricter moderation policies and stronger accountability from social media companies operating in the country.
Earlier, Sauce.co.ke also reported on growing debates around digital content regulation, online activism, and the role of social media platforms during national protests and political mobilisation.
