The Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok is enjoying great success on the African continent. While some countries have no problem with it, Senegal considers the application to be a threat to national stability. 

TikTok will remain suspended until further notice in Senegal, Minister of Communication Moussa Bocar Thiam (photo) said at a press conference last October 5. According to the government official, the government is in talks with the social network’s executives to lift that suspension.  

"It's an unfortunate situation because our objective is [to guarantee] the free use of this platform [...] For the moment, the restriction is maintained pending the conclusion of a comprehensive written agreement," he said. 

Three conditions were set out for the lifting of the suspension.  Firstly, the Minister insisted on the need for TikTok to put in place a mechanism guaranteeing the deletion of fake accounts and accounts with subversive content. He also called for a local representation in Senegal. 

Finally, the government called for regulation of the application's algorithm in Senegal, to control content that could run counter to Senegalese values and negatively influence young people. According to the Minister, it's a question of knowing what content is being offered to Senegalese.

The ban on TikTok was imposed in August following the arrest of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko. At the time, Senegalese authorities said it was "the preferred network used by malicious individuals to spread hateful and subversive messages threatening the country's stability." 

Despite being banned in the country, it is still widely used by the Senegalese youths who use means like VPNs to bypass censorship. 

Samira Njoya