TikTok ban, a gateway to censorship

The USA has claimed ticktok uses the platform to collect data and spy on Americans so they shut it down to prevent espionage by their adversary China. Then restored it. Was it just toying with Americans? A bargaining strategy? Perhaps a warning of what mighty america could do. Or political deception where President Trump swoops in to the rescue, yes it was. But I am not concerned about Americans and how the uncertainty of TikTok ban may affect them, I am concerned about how this ban by America opens a gateway for other countries, to silence dessenting opinions.

I'm talking about Kenya and Africa by extension

America wields too much power and influence, power over their citizens, power over their allies, power over sovereign nations. With its history of assassinating rival leaders, plotting coups, interfering with democratic processes and tolerating dictatorships it is not a surprise the precedent they have set in suppressing freedom of speech, a move which may/will be emulated by other governments around the world.

Last year was marked by remarkable rebellious events, citizens rising against oppressive regimes. Among them was the June protests led by by Kenyan Gen Z's against the infamous Finance bill 2024 among other grievances which ever since has left the president, his allies, and formally members of the opposition jumping around like rabid dogs in an attempt to rehabilitate their reputation. Not an X-space, town hall meetings, multiple relaunching of same stalled projects, massive propaganda, not even including members of the opposition into his government have proven effective against an army of 'digital wankers'. It would suffice to say they met their match.

I guess we can state without doubt that the regime has lost the information war.

In all this there is a constant, social media platforms especially X and TikTok. These platforms have been a tool to organize protests, organize help for those injured during protests, report human rights abuses to respective institutions and to the world, a silhouette/AI campaign and currently emailing foreign dignitaries to alert them that Nairobi is the African capital of abductions. As someone hilariously called it, Abductistan. It pisses them off that they are not in control of information anymore, that their propaganda has hit the wall, that they have lost legitimacy because of something they once considered a passing cloud.

And that is why they, the government is doing everything to suppress dessenting voices. From abducting social media activists, urging parents to discipline their children and now threatening to impose laws on social media usage and their respective companies with some members of government citing the US ticktok ban as some sort of justification.

The world is volatile, governments overthrown by people and militaries, people calling out the Israeli genocide, people planning their own revolutions and protests, people dissecting the imperialism of United States and the West , it should worry us that those in power will use any justification to maintain the status quo, including banning social media platforms for ‘security concerns' or if you are a dumb Kenyan leader to fight indiscipline.

Given Kenyas relations with America, let us not forget the state visit which was followed by the designation of Kenya as a major non NATO ally and the Haiti mission led by Kenyan police officers or the constant visits by US state officials for reasons that are never clear. let us not forget that America and the West has their claws deep inside the affairs of this nation (and continent) and decisions even those that infringe on our rights may be so because they receive a nod from uncle Sam or for the sake of deniability they just look away.

The ban is significant to the rest of us because of the might of America and because many leaders are under the thumb of America.

Right now social media is a tool for the fight for our freedom especially because the mainstream media is not to be trusted and for the right price or threat they partake in our oppression. However it is important to remember that the owners of these platforms, the Musks and Zuckerbergs wield so much power to control the flow of information so do not put much trust on them either. I have seen the misguided faith in these individuals, and more as the Czars of free speech but they like your average politician serve their own interests.