TikTok has committed to upholding data privacy regulations, engaging with African governments to promote online safety at the 2nd Annual Sub-Saharan Africa Safer Internet Summit in Cape Town. The company hosted its second annual Africa Safer Internet Summit, bringing together government officials, regulators, and industry executives from across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Delegates from countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Kenya gathered to address key issues such as online safety, content moderation, and the development of digital policies. The social media company emphasized that the Summit showcased its ongoing efforts to prioritize user safety across Africa, while fostering an open dialogue with legislators to develop robust frameworks that protect users’ rights and encourage digital innovation and creativity.
Solly Malatsi, South Africa’s minister of communications and digital technologies, officially opened the Summit, underscoring the critical role of collaboration between governments, technology platforms, and communities in building a safer digital ecosystem. Meanwhile, Helena Lersch, TikTok’s vice president of Public Policy, reiterated the platform’s commitment to user safety and the importance of cooperation in establishing a secure digital environment. She stated, “Billions of people use TikTok everyday to create, share, and connect, and we’re always updating our policies and procedures to protect our platform and allow our community to discover and do what they love. This conference emphasises the need for collaboration among industry leaders and regulators in creating an innovative and secure digital environment.”
Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, Sub-Saharan Africa’s director of public policy and government relations, highlighted the value of collective efforts in digital safety. He noted that the Summit offers a crucial platform for sharing insights, enhancing cooperation, and ensuring that African users—especially young people—enjoy a safe online experience.
During the event, TikTok reported a significant surge in its content removal rate across Sub-Saharan Africa, with data indicating a 249.81% increase from the second quarter of 2023 to the fourth quarter of 2024. The company asserted that this improvement aligns with its global standards for content control and enforcement of community guidelines.
TikTok’s Community Guidelines Enforcement Reports reflect its sustained investment in automated moderation technology that works in tandem with human safety experts to detect and remove harmful content before it reaches users. The company noted that between July and September 2024, approximately 147 million videos were removed globally, with 118 million identified and taken down automatically using these technologies.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, TikTok removed over 7.5 million videos in Q3 2024, with the figure rising to more than 8 million in Q4 2024—a quarterly increase of 14.06%. Notably, TikTok stated that 99.5% of these videos were removed prior to any user reports, underscoring its dedication to proactive moderation and rapid response.
A similar pattern was observed in North Africa, where approximately 7 million videos were removed in the third and fourth quarters of 2024. This represents an 8.70% increase in removals between the quarters, with 99.3% of these takedowns occurring before any user reports.
The company stated: “These findings highlight TikTok’s ongoing efforts to provide a secure and healthy online environment with comprehensive, technologically assisted content management methods.”
Furthermore, TikTok announced plans to ramp up its initiatives in Africa as part of a broader commitment to digital safety and education. This will include strategic partnerships and training programs aimed at promoting digital literacy, safety awareness, and responsible content creation.
