17-летняя активистка из Кении участвует в глобальном совете TikTok по безопасности в интернете

At just 17, Kenyan youth advocate Michelle Wanjiru is using her experience on TikTok’s Global Youth Council to push for safer and more responsible use of social media among young people. Wanjiru, the founder and CEO of NGO Mind of a Queen, says her organisation brings together young girls across Kenya to discuss social media and challenges affecting girls in society. She joined TikTok’s Global Youth Council in 2023 after Jennifer Kaberia of Mtoto News forwarded the opportunity to her parents. “I applied and went through several interviews before I was selected as one of the first Council members,” she said. TikTok launched the Global Youth Council in 2023 in partnership with Praesidio Safeguarding, an online safety agency, to give teenagers an opportunity to share their views on online safety. Wanjiru says the council has since grown from 15 members when she joined to 30 teenagers from 21 countries, including Kenya, Nigeria and Cameroon. She says her participation has given her an opportunity to provide feedback on safety features, reporting systems, privacy and digital wellbeing. “Since joining, I’ve helped provide feedback on new safety features, discussed ways to improve reporting systems, and shared youth perspectives on issues like privacy, and digital well-being,” the 17-year-old says. She cited well-being missions on TikTok, the meditation feature and updates to the TikTok Teen Safety Center among the products and resources where she said youth recommendations had been reflected. “Knowing that our input can influence real changes on a global platform is very empowering,” she said. Against blanket social media bans Wanjiru also weighs in on proposals in some countries to restrict children under 16 from using social media, saying while safety should remain a priority, access to digital platforms also provides young people with opportunities. “At the same time, we also need to recognise that for many young people, social media is much more than entertainment,” she says. She says young people use social media to discover and learn new skills, access educational content, build businesses, express creativity, find supportive communities and discover career opportunities. “Limiting access alone doesn't address the broader challenge of preparing young people to navigate the digital world responsibly,” she says. Instead, Wanjiru calls for collaboration between governments, platforms, parents and young people to improve online safety. She also advocates for stronger digital literacy and tools that help young people make informed choices online, while encouraging parents and guardians to understand and monitor teenagers’ online activity. ‘Young people’s voices matter’ Her experience on the council has changed her understanding of technology and demonstrated the importance of involving young people in decisions affecting digital platforms. “Being on the Youth Council has really changed the way I see technology and social media,” Wanjiru says. “It has also made me realise that young people's voices really do matter. Since we're the ones using these platforms every day, we can share ideas and experiences that adults might not always see.” She has urged teenagers to take an active role in shaping their online experiences, including by being mindful of the content they engage with. “The biggest thing I've learned is we as teens have more power than we think, not just over our own experience, but in shaping our experience online,” she says. Wanjiru has encouraged teenagers to curate their feeds, block content that negatively affects them and engage with content that inspires them. She has also urged young people to provide their correct age when joining platforms so they can access age-appropriate content and communities. “Be the person who makes the internet kinder,” she says, adding that teenagers should remember that there is a real person behind every online interaction. Experience shaping ambitions The council experience has also strengthened Wanjiru’s ambitions as a youth advocate. “I've always been passionate about advocating for young people and making sure our voices are heard, especially on issues that affect us every day,” she said. She highlights meeting TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and engaging with the company’s Trust & Safety teams as one of the experiences that stood out for her. “Seeing him/them genuinely listen to our ideas and experiences made me realise that our voices weren't just being heard, they were helping shape conversations at the highest level of the organisation,” she says. “As a young person from Africa, that's incredibly empowering.” Wanjiru says working alongside council members from different countries and backgrounds had also broadened her perspective. “Even though we all have different experiences, we share a common goal of making online spaces safer for young people everywhere,” she says.