TikTok and African Union Commission forge multi-year partnership for digital safety
It includes a comprehensive in-app campaign featuring educational videos on internet safety, supported by hashtag challenges and content creator safety endorsements.
Additionally, TikTok and the AUC will distribute “Digital Safety Toolkits” to aid teachers and guardians in addressing crucial digital safety issues.
These resources will be accessible on TikTok through a dedicated microsite, serving as an interactive guide for promoting safer online practices.
Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, Government Relations & Public Policy Director, TikTok, Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted this collaboration’s strategic nature:
“We are proud to team up with the African Union Commission’s Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate (WGYD) to make the digital world safer for all of us here in Africa. Our #SaferTogether partnership with the African Union Commission’s Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate reinforces TikTok’s deep commitment to the diverse tapestry of markets across Africa. Through initiatives like our educational workshops, and the development of comprehensive safety toolkits, we are committed to nurturing a digitally safe environment for all. This partnership couldn’t come at a better time. We all know how much our lives revolve around the internet these days, and we must stay safe online”.
Echoing this sentiment, Ms. Prudence Nonkululeko Ngwenya, Director of the Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate African Union, lauded the partnership as a vital step towards empowering Africa’s youth and safeguarding their digital futures.
“The #SaferTogether campaign launch with TikTok is in line with the African Union’s ongoing efforts to promote and advocate for not only safe online experiences for young people in Africa but also their mental well-being through the 1 Million Next Level Initiative. While access to the internet can help children and young people stay connected, improve their digital literacy, and diversify their livelihoods, they must be provided with a safe environment to reap the benefits of digital platforms.”
Through continental frameworks and initiatives such as the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa and the 1 Million Next Level Initiative, AUC aims to not only champion increased access to digital platforms for young people, but to also promote their safe use to address issues related to unsafe internet use.
As TikTok embarks on this journey with the AUC, TikTok wishes to reaffirm its collective promise to create a more inclusive, safer online community for Africa’s youth.