Atwoli Urges Churches to Lead the Fight Against TikTok’s Harmful Influence in Kenya
In a fiery address that has reignited national debate, COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has called on churches to boldly confront the growing influence of social media platforms like TikTok, warning of the moral decay they are causing among Kenya’s youth.
Speaking during the Labour Day prayers at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Nairobi, Atwoli painted a worrying picture of young Kenyans falling prey to explicit and damaging content freely available online. He urged religious institutions to step up and offer strong moral guidance in a digital age where, he claimed, “a child with a phone can access indecency with the swipe of a finger.”
“The church must speak about TikTok. The church must speak about social media. The church must lead,” Atwoli declared passionately, emphasizing that it is no longer enough to remain silent as children are exposed to dangerous online material.
Atwoli didn’t mince his words, describing alarming scenes where children accidentally stumble upon adult content, while parents remain oblivious. “We cannot have a society where a child opens a phone and sees things that destroy their innocence,” he lamented.
Beyond content concerns, Atwoli criticized young, inexperienced Kenyans who use social media to attack institutions like trade unions and the Ministry of Labour. “People who have never worked anywhere, who are not members of any union, are now experts online, spreading incitement,” he said.
Atwoli also highlighted the paradox that TikTok, despite being a Chinese creation, is heavily regulated in China — unlike in Kenya, where he warned it is “running unchecked” and wreaking havoc.
“In China, TikTok is controlled. Here, it’s left wide open!” Atwoli exclaimed, demanding immediate government action to regulate social media before it “tears apart the moral fabric of our society.”
This is not Atwoli’s first warning. Earlier in April, during a meeting with COTU shop stewards, he warned that unregulated social media posed a threat to Kenya’s economic future and social stability.
“Social media must not be a platform for propaganda. We must love and protect this country. If we don’t, investors will flee, and chaos will follow,” he said.
Atwoli’s latest remarks have sparked fresh conversations across Kenya, with many questioning if it is finally time to enforce stricter controls on platforms like TikTok.
Should Kenya follow China’s footsteps in regulating TikTok?
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Atwoli Urges Churches to Lead the Fight Against TikTok’s Harmful Influence in Kenya