This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
Published on July 30, 2019, a day when the digital landscape was already a significant concern for parents worldwide.
Phyllis Kiama's daughter is 13 years old and lives in Nairobi's Embakasi estate, a populous area where one would expect a girl her age to have numerous peers to socialize with. However, the teen rarely leaves the house.
Instead, she spends most of her time on her mobile phone or her mother's laptop, where she connects with peers on social media. Kiama has encouraged her daughter to get out more, but she is reluctant, saying that even if she were to go out, she would have no one to talk to since her peers rarely go outside.
One of the many apps the girl has downloaded is Likee, a platform where users can create and share short videos with the aid of diverse special effects, including AI beauty filters. The app has amassed millions of followers worldwide, many of them just entering their teens.
A few weeks ago, Kiama decided to go through her daughter's profile and found that an adult man had contacted her, writing, 'It is good to connect with you…' Kiama was shocked but relieved to learn that the man was writing from Mexico, so her daughter was not in immediate danger from the man.
However, the incident highlighted the dangers that come with connecting with strangers on social media, especially those much older than her daughter. Kiama sat her down and explained the dos and don'ts that she should follow when using the platform.
She considered taking her daughter's phone away and banning her from using her laptop but realized the futility of such an action. TikTok is another popular video-sharing app that is popular with the young generation, but its open messaging system makes it possible for anyone, including adults, to message the youngsters.
Early this month, the app was put under investigation in the UK following concerns over how it handles personal data of users under the age of 13. According to a report in The Guardian, the inquiry explained that the app was potentially violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which requires the company to provide different services and different protection for children.
GDPR is the primary law regulating how companies protect EU citizens' personal data and was effected in 2018. Social media networks are here to stay, and they have opened more avenues through which children can be preyed upon or subjected to adult content such as pornography.
The question then begs: What is the situation like in Kenya in regard to policing social media spaces where minors are? Mr Anthony Muiyuro, a cybersecurity expert, says protecting children online is not easy since the nature of child online abuse is subtle, and the early warning signs of abuse are not so obvious.
He notes that while Kenya has taken notable steps to curb the abuse and misuse of digital platforms, there still exist opportunities to step up monitoring and surveillance.
