Deny Your Kids Access To Smartphones Or Computers, Boni Khalwale Tells Kenyans Calling For Ban On TikTok

• Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale said Kenya lacks an exclusive and distinct online space that can be directly controlled by legislative measures
• He challenged parents to take a more practical approach to prevent kids from accessing explicit content online
• Bob Ndolo, CEO of Bridget Connect Consultancy, accused TikTok of promoting violence, explicit sexual content, hate speech and offensive behaviour among children

Kakamega - Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale has opposed a petition seeking to ban TikTok in Kenya.

In a petition presented before parliament, Bob Ndolo, CEO of Bridget Connect Consultancy, claimed that TikTok promotes violence, explicit sexual content, hate speech, vulgar language, and offensive behaviour among young people.

He further put the Communications Authority (CA) on the spot, claiming that the regulator had not done enough on matters to do with the platform.

Speaker Moses Wetang'ula instructed the Public Petitions Committee to review the petition and report to the House with their findings.

What is Khalwale's view on TikTok ban?

In a statement shared on the X platform on Wednesday, August 16, Khalwale dismissed the petition as a waste of time.

The lawmaker observed that Kenya does not possess a dedicated and exclusive digital space on the Internet that can be protected through parliamentary legislation.

He advised parents having issues with the platform to regulate their children's access to the platform by denying them access to smartphones.

"So somebody wants Parliament to ban TikTok? A fat waste of time! Kenya does not have its own unique locus on the Internet, which Parliamentary legislation can ring-fence and lock. If u don't like TikTok, deny your kids access to a smartphone or computer, if u can," he wrote.

Kimani Ichung'wah protests TikTok ban

Similarly, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah asserted that the country cannot ban the video-sharing platform.

He continued that a total ban on TikTok would cause thousands of young Kenyans to lose their jobs.

The Kikuyu MP advised the CEO to file a petition to regulate the platform, including its age restriction and content.

He has also suggested fining those who distribute explicit material. Kirinyaga woman representative Jane Njeri argued that regulating the platform would be preferable to outright banning it.

"I am on TikTok and I use it to impact the children. Young people on the platform are making a living and we can not entirely do away with the content. Perhaps what we can front is the regulation of social media platforms, including TikTok," she added.