Twitter hits KOT over Sonko-Waititu ‘leaked’ phone call

Twitter users who on Wednesday shared a video recording of a telephone call between Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and his Kiambu counterpart Ferdinand Waititu are in trouble with the microblogging platform.

This is after Sonko complained to Twitter that he owns the rights to the video.

EMAILS

In the video, Mr Waititu is heard pleading with Mr Sonko to release his (Waititu’s) wife and 14 workers who were arrested over unapproved construction in the city.

The video was shared widely on social media networks drawing criticism from Kenyans.

But this rattled Mr Sonko who then filed a copyright complaint with Twitter.

“My phone conversation that was accidentally leaked and now is circulating on your platform without my authority’ read the complaint in part,” read the description of the complaint in part with the link to original work stated as www.nairobi.go.ke.

This is the official website for Nairobi county, whose operations are paid for by the Kenyan taxpayer.

In the ensuing hours, Twitter sent emails to people who had shared the video alerting them that they had taken down their tweets

“The following material has been removed from your account in response to the DMCA takedown notice copied at the bottom of this email: If you believe the material has been removed as a result of mistake or misidentification, you may send us a counter-notification of your objection pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 512(g)(3),” the email from Twitter read in part.

Twitter policy bars users from sharing content they do not have rights to.

Those who flout this rule risk suspension or losing their accounts.

Currently, most of the tweets containing the video are set as either “restricted” or “unavailable”.

The motive of recording the conversation is, however, still unclear.