TikTok is under scrutiny from regulators in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On January 19, Christian Bosembe, Head of the Higher Broadcast Council (CSAC), reacted to the social media’s recent ban in the US. According to Bosembe, Washington’s move further legitimates concerns raised in the DRC regarding TikTok.

"While the United States has just suspended TikTok, [...] the DRC is closely following this decision, which highlights the serious threats posed by this social network. This measure underscores legitimate concerns about national security, the protection of personal data, and the sanctity of privacy—principles often violated by TikTok's lack of transparency and rigorous control," Bosembe stated.

Alors que les États-Unis viennent de suspendre TikTok, privant ainsi plus de 170 millions d’utilisateurs de cette plateforme, la République Démocratique du Congo suit avec attention cette décision, qui illustre les graves menaces que représente ce réseau social. Cette mesure met… pic.twitter.com/IDbj9fULJI

— Christian Bosembe (@CBosembe) January 19, 2025

He added that TikTok has become a "vector of harmful propaganda" in the DRC, even accusing the platform of facilitating the recruitment of young people by terrorist groups. Bosembe has been vocal about this matter since 2023. That year, he accused TikTok of promoting immorality through inappropriate content. In his recent comments, he warned that "the DRC may be forced to consider measures similar to those taken by the United States, up to and including suspension" if these issues are not addressed.

With 672 million downloads in 2022, TikTok is the most downloaded Android app in the DRC. The platform is owned by ByteDance, a company founded by Chinese billionaire Zhang Yiming.

Servan Ahougnon, Agence Ecofin