#SaferTogether: All that happened at TikTok’s safety summit in Nairobi

It was a jolly night as social media influencers, content creators, government representatives and TikTok Africa team members gathered in Nairobi for a one-of-its-kind Safety Summit hosted. Beyond being a platform to discuss new safety updates on the short video content platform, the event allowed a diverse audience to network and play.

The #SaferTogether event was elegantly hosted by the charismatic and seasoned MC and Homeboys Radio host, Lotan Salapei. His smooth and jovial pilot of the event was a true testament to the richness of the Kenyan entertainment space and the spirit of unity that he represents.

It brought together content creators from Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Ethiopia and Nigeria as well as government representatives, strategic partners and media representatives for a night of games, drinks, conversations and networking.

The formal, yet jovial nature of the conversations signals an iteration of TikTok’s safety campaign that is designed to engage the participating community actively without losing the unique vivaciousness that the popular creators are known for.

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Even the games at the summit venue were designed to promote a basic understanding of the platform’s community guidelines and safety features.

It was an assembly of the most notable and most impactful content creators from the host country and the East African region. Among those in attendance include sports content creator who is popular known as Kenya’s Peter Drury, Arap Uriah; presenter and dancer, Heartylove and DIY and hairstyling creator, Grace Odawo.

Other attendees include popular hilarious comedy content creator, Wangari Akinyi Achieng Maina (Maina Mal); relatable content queen, Mimo Karanja and Editor at Capital FM Kenya, Murugi Gichovi.

The event featured some exciting games and popular dance contests. Notable among these is a dance exchange session featuring award-winning Kenyan dancer, Flirty Carlos; popular South African dance content creator, Sphokuhle Kagiso; popular Kenyan dance content creator, Sean Mwaniki (Sean MMG) and Kenyan-born comedian, actor, scriptwriter and theatre director, Eddie Butita.

Another notable feature of the event was a panel session to discuss elements of TikTok’s forward-looking policies and share community adoption strategies with the attendees as well as take questions and concerns from the creators. The session was hosted by TikTok’s indefatigable head of communications for Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA), Keagile Makgoba.

Panellists include Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, TikTok’s Director of government relations & public policy for SSA; Evelyn Kasina, CEO of Eveminet, TikTok’s #SaferTogether outreach partner, Lillian Kariuki, a child protection specialist and safety advisory council member and Roy Kanyi, tech content creator.

The panellists spoke about how useful TikTok’s community guidelines have helped them to grow their brands in a safer environment. Roy, who started pushing out content actively just under two years ago, spoke on how he was inspired by his environment and other creators to grow his followers to over 255k followers with his tech-esque content.

Evelyn shared insights from Eveminet’s drive to promote a basic understanding of the platform’s community guidelines and safety features through #SaferTogether workshops for teenagers and parents, outreach campaigns and partnerships with key stakeholders like the Boy Scout Society. She highlighted that the project has reached over 64,000 students, more than 467 parents, and 346 teachers.

The event was also well attended by representatives of the Kenyan government. These include Ms Mary Kerema, Secretary of ICT, e-Government and Digital Economy at the Kenyan Ministry of Information and Raymond Ochieng, the Secretary of Youth Development, State Department for Youth Affairs at the Kenyan Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports.

Recall that at the event, TikTok launched its inaugural Safety Advisory Council for Sub-Saharan Africa. The council is the first-of-its-kind safety consultative group by any social media platform in the region. It also featured an announcement of an expansion of its #SaferTogether community education campaign.

Since 2020, TikTok has established nine regional Safety Advisory Councils alongside the U.S. Content Advisory Council, each composed of experts in areas such as youth safety, free expression, and hate speech. These councils play a vital role in shaping TikTok’s policies, product features, and safety processes, ensuring the platform remains responsive to evolving challenges.

The newly launched Sub-Saharan Africa Safety Advisory Council will further this effort by bringing together local experts who will collaborate with TikTok to develop forward-looking policies and address regional safety concerns. Their input will help TikTok manage current issues and anticipate future challenges, reinforcing the platform’s commitment to user safety and fostering a positive online environment.

Asked what was next in terms of community engagement, Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda is committed to creating a safer space for all using an inclusive and collaborative approach. This means a replication of similar events across the region.