Senegal maintains ban on TikTok

Senegal’s government has maintained a ban it imposed on the social media app TikTok in August.

Authorities had banned the app on accusations that it was “the preferred network for malicious people to broadcast hateful and subversive messages that threaten the country’s stability”.

Senegal’s Communications Minister Moussa Bocar Thiam on Thursday said that TikTok will only be reinstated if the company signs an agreement to allow the removal of accounts that promote what he described as inflammatory content.

“For the time being, the restriction is being maintained pending the conclusion of a comprehensive written agreement,” Mr Thiam said, following discussions with representatives of the company.

The TikTok ban followed the arrest of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.

Authorities claimed that the app was being used to spread “hateful and subversive messages” that threatened the country’s stability as violent protests broke out in the wake of Mr Sonko’s arrest.

The government has also demanded TikTok to agree to provide fair compensation to its Senegalese content creators in order to be reinstated.