Kenyan content creators will wait a bit longer for direct monetisation of their content by Tiktok after the short video platform revealed that it has just engaged talks with Kenyan creators.

The local content creators have been pushing the multinational social media companies to find ways to compensate for the content they publish on the platforms.

Tiktok director of government relations & public policy for Sub-Saharan Africa Fortune Sibanda said that Kenyan creators will in the meantime continue to depend on the available ways to monetize. 

“We have had this conversation with the Kenyas creator community and its one question they have been asking us. We told them that as Tiktok we have a variety of ways of monetising such as gifting or payment by brands,” said Sibanda.

“The once that they have asked for we are going to look into. Watch this space and we are going to keep developing on that and in due course we are going to make more announcements on that,”

The Chinese short video entertainment platform had in December last year announced plans to launch a subscription model for content in Kenya in June 2024.

“As of June 6, 2023, creators in select regions who are 18 years or older, have an account that is at least 30 days old with at least 10K followers, have posted more than three public videos in the last 30 days, and have at least 1000 authentic video views in the last 30 days, are eligible to join Series,” Tiktok had said in December, 2023.

However, no confirmation statement has been issued for the rollout of the service.

According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023 survey, Kenya leads the world in TikTok usage.

The report indicates that Kenya has 54 per cent of global TikTok usage, with 29 per cent of Tiktok activity in the country revolving around staying informed with news updates.

Despite having faced security issues, Tiktok is considered one of the fastest growing social networks, with the report revealing that 44 per cent of respondents use the platform and that it is popular among 18 to 24-year-olds. 

To enhance its regional operations Sibanda revealed that TikTok has established nine regional Safety Advisory Councils in its push to enhance safety of the platform in Kenya and the Est African region.

Kenya’s Lillian Kariuki is among the eight members appointed to TikTok’s Safety Advisory Council for Sub-Saharan Africa.

The popular short video platform made this announcement in a roundtable discussion during its Safety Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya.

TikTok says it is taking major steps to boost safety on its platform across Sub-Saharan Africa with the launch of this Safety Advisory Council.

By partnering with key stakeholders, including policymakers, members from academia, NGOs, and community leaders, TikTok says it aims to foster a collaborative approach to ensuring a secure and positive platform environment.  

According to Sibanda, the newly launched Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council will further this effort by bringing together local experts who will collaborate with TikTok to develop forward-looking policies and address regional safety concerns.

“With the additional layer that the Safety Advisory Council presents, we believe that safety can be achieved, collectively.” 

Their input will help TikTok manage current issues and anticipate future challenges, reinforcing the platform’s commitment to user safety and fostering a positive online environment.

“The community empowerment campaign highlights the importance of safety being a shared responsibility. This part of the campaign will speak directly to the TikTok community, to join us in making TikTok a safer space for all by ensuring they follow the Community Guidelines and use the safety features available to them,” he noted. by JACKTONE LAWI, The Star