The cost of the gold rush: How TikTok is reshaping Kenya

The "TikTok Generation" is fundamentally changing how Kenyans interact with the world. As the leaders of TikTok usage in East Africa, Kenyans are leveraging the platform to grow their influence and scale their businesses.

However, as the saying goes, "all that glitters is not gold." There is a dark side to this digital boom: while some make millions, others suffer from data exploitation or find themselves targeted on the platform.

Ultimately, we must ask: what is the true cost of being a top TikTok influencer, and is the app changing us for better or for worse?

TikTok is undeniably a young person’s app, with the majority of its users under the age of 35. It has become a hub for rapid growth, helping creators achieve wealth and fame almost overnight.

Take Shisha Arona, also known as Kenya’s "dancing news anchor."

Already in the spotlight as a journalist, she took the world by storm by incorporating trending dances into her daily routine and highlighting the beauty of everyday Kenyan life. TikTok took her career to the next level.

She isn't alone. Almasi the King is another creator making a massive splash. By traveling the world and collaborating with international creators, he has grown a following of over 580K.

Through his brand deals and global dance videos, he is showing the world how Kenyan culture and dance stack up against the rest of the globe.

While these influencers use the app to increase their reach, we must consider the trade-offs. TikTok allows creators to monetize their talent, but it also harvests their data and the data of their followers.

Because the app is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, concerns persist about how this information is used to shift global perceptions.

We see this in trends like "Chinamaxxing," where influencers are used to promote Chinese lifestyles, products, and images to a global audience.

It raises the question of whether the platform is being used as a tool for soft power to improve a specific national image under the guise of entertainment

Similarly, other global powers have used social media tactics to push ideological and political campaigns. Recent examples include Russian TikTok operations targeting Ukrainian leadership.

Put simply, foreign actors can easily interfere with public sentiment by exploiting TikTok’s open content ecosystem.

But that’s not all: the full extent of risks remains largely unknown, from influence campaigns and access to personal and biometric data, to deepfakes and identity theft, scams, or blackmail.

Hence, users face not only great opportunities but equally serious threats, ranging from states and corporations to individual cybercriminals.

Despite privacy concerns, TikTok has democratized success for those from lower economic backgrounds.

Hadija Sheban, for example, has amassed over 200K followers by showcasing Kenyan recipes and traditional cooking techniques.

She has grown her visibility with almost zero overhead, allowing her to build a recognizable brand in the TikTok realm.

Similarly, Bernice Nuna, the 2nd runner-up for Miss World Kenya, has used the platform to maintain her momentum.

With over 600K followers, she uses her reach to secure luxury hotel stays and restaurant deals, proving that TikTok holds the power to sustain a high-profile career long after the pageant stage.

The duality of the app is most visible in its home country.

If TikTok is as safe and beneficial as its proponents claim, one has to wonder why the international version is not available in China, where citizens use a separate, heavily regulated version called Douyin.

If it has done so much good for Kenya, why is the same version restricted in its country of origin?

For the Gen Z, TikTok has become a vital tool for mobilization. From Hungary to Nepal and now in Kenya, as the youth prepare for elections, the app has allowed a generation to gather and inspire political change.

Yet, with reports of the app removing videos or banning content due to political disagreements, the future remains uncertain.

An app with the potential to launch a career and generate millions can certainly attract many to a life of fame.

Yet one should not ignore the hidden costs of such open new digital world: from threats to privacy to influence from foreign powers.

So perhaps it is best to remind ourselves that everything that glitters isn't gold, but rather it can be a strategic tool to control what we see, read, and like.

Kenya itself has already witnessed how Tik Tok can both empower voices but also often manipulate them.

It is up to those who hold experience and awareness of such risks to reflect on how to best safeguard the rights and safety of global future users.

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