A majority of survey respondents have said the app spreads false content, according to Reuters

TikTok has become the top source of false or misleading content in Kenya, according to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025 released on Monday.

The research, surveying 2,007 Kenyans online between February and May 2025, highlighted the increasing role of social media ahead of the 2027 presidential election in the country.

The findings suggest that over half of Kenyans (55%) view TikTok as a major source of misinformation - the highest share among all social media platforms. According to the data, WhatsApp is viewed as less threatening compared to public social media, as discussions typically remain within trusted, private groups of friends.

Kenya stands out globally for its embrace of TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese firm Bytedance. In 2023, the Reuters Institute report ranked Kenya as the world's top TikTok user, with 29% of survey respondents consuming news via the app. That figure has risen to 38%, placing Kenya ahead of other Reuters Institute survey subjects South Africa (33%), Nigeria (28%), and Morocco (24%) in the Global South.

The authors noted however that given the 2025 research was entirely conducted online, results would bias towards young, urban, English-speaking Kenyans aged 18 to 50 - a group seen as shaping national narratives online.

TikTok removed over 334,000 videos in Kenya for violating its community guidelines, amid growing scrutiny. According to the platform's Q3 2024 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, 88.9% of those videos were taken down before they could be viewed by others, and 93% were removed within 24 hours of posting.

In April, Kenyan President William Ruto characterized the spread of digital disinformation as a systemic threat to the country's democratic fabric. He condemned the rise of "false narratives and cynical distortions" on social media, warning that unchecked online manipulation risks undermining national unity.

"When weaponised, social media platforms become a breeding ground for hate, incitement, radicalization, and insecurity," the president stated.

A June 2022 Mozilla Foundation report released ahead of Kenya's general election in August of that year also noted "fast and far-spreading political disinformation" on TikTok.

(RT.com)