Report accuses TikTok of spreading hate speech ahead of Kenya poll

TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, saw explosive growth during the pandemic, but was doing little to rein in fake news, the report said. — AFP

NAIROBI: Clips containing hate-speech, political disinformation and threats of ethnic violence are spreading on TikTok ahead of Kenya’s high-stakes elections, a new report said on June 8, accusing the video-sharing platform of “failing its first real test in Africa”.

East Africa’s economic powerhouse will hold presidential and parliamentary elections on Aug 9, in the shadow of previous polls which have often been marred by ethnic violence.