Kenya Bill Would Require Meta, TikTok, X Content Reports

In Short

Kenya is proposing new social media rules that would require Meta, TikTok, X and other digital platforms to report unlawful activity on their services to the Communications Authority of Kenya.

What Happened

Kenya is proposing a new social media regulation that would put foreign technology companies under a formal reporting and compliance framework.

The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy wants providers of content-sharing applications and other online platforms operating in Kenya to report unlawful activities on their services to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA). The ministry says this reporting should include activities such as sexual exploitation, cyberbullying and impersonation, along with the remedial action taken.

The proposal is contained in the Kenya Information and Communications Amendment Bill 2026. It seeks to introduce a new Section 85C into the existing Act.

“The proposed section is intended to protect users in Kenya, enhance online safety and ensure that providers delivering services to users in Kenya are accountable under Kenyan law,” the Bill states.

Under the proposed amendment, digital platform providers would have to notify the CA of their particulars and the services they offer. The regulator would maintain a register of platforms used by Kenyans, receive and facilitate the resolution of user complaints, and monitor compliance with the new requirements.

The Bill also sets operational expectations. Providers would have to ensure the availability and safety of their services, publish policies and terms governing use, and set up mechanisms for users to submit complaints and seek redress.

The Bill defines a digital platform as an online environment that facilitates interactions, transactions and content sharing among users. It defines a provider as a person operating such a platform, which brings services such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok and X within the proposed framework.

The reporting requirement would cover unlawful activity and the remedial measures taken by providers. The article notes that this would create a statutory reporting obligation alongside existing content moderation systems run under individual platform terms.

TikTok, for example, reported removing 884,591 videos in Kenya during the first quarter of 2026. The company said 99.7% were removed proactively, before users reported them, and 96.3% were taken down within 24 hours.

Why It Matters

If passed, the Bill would formalise how major social media and other digital platforms report unlawful content and how complaints are handled in Kenya. It would also give the CA a register of platforms and a clearer mandate to monitor compliance with the new requirements.