Kenya is witnessing an unprecedented surge in complaints about inappropriate media content, with grievances to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) skyrocketing in recent months.
The latest statistics from the CA reveal that complaints about inappropriate media content have surged to 44 in the quarter ending June 2024, a stark contrast to the absence of such complaints in the previous two quarters.
The increase in complaints marks a significant shift in the nature of grievances received by the regulator, traditionally dominated by issues such as breaches of confidentiality and the quality of data services. In the three months leading to September last year, only six complaints about inappropriate content were recorded.
The trend continued in the January-March 2023 quarter with just four cases. However, the 50 complaints recorded over the year to June 2024 represent a more than tenfold increase compared to the entire 2022/23 financial year, highlighting the growing concern among the public regarding media content.
This surge in complaints has pushed concerns about inappropriate media content to the forefront, replacing longstanding issues such as privacy breaches and service quality that have typically topped the list. During the same period, complaints about service quality fell by five per cent to 20, and grievances over privacy and confidentiality dropped by four per cent to 24.
The dramatic rise in media content complaints coincides with a significant increase in social media usage. The period saw the Gen-Zs staging nationwide protests, largely mobilised through digital platforms. Social media has become a critical tool for information dissemination, especially during times of unrest.
Facebook, currently the most popular social media platform in Kenya, has seen its usage soar to over half of the population, marking the first time a social media app has crossed the 50 per cent usage threshold. The CA data shows a 2.6 per cent increase in Facebook usage to 52 per cent in the quarter ending June, up from 49.5 per cent the previous quarter, and a cumulative rise of 6.8 per cent since July last year.
WhatsApp, TikTok, and Twitter have also experienced a surge in usage. WhatsApp usage rose by 1.5 per cent to 48.5 per cent of the population aged 15 and above, while Twitter (now X) users increased by 2.1 per cent to 12.8 per cent. TikTok saw the most significant growth, with its usage jumping by five percent to 28.1 per cent from the previous quarter’s 23 per cent, a cumulative increase of 8.8 per cent since last July.
In contrast, platforms like Instagram, Telegram, and LinkedIn, which have traditionally seen lower usage rates among Kenyans, recorded slight declines. Each is now used by no more than 13 per cent of the population.
The rising popularity of mainstream social media platforms has been accompanied by increased internet accessibility, particularly among Gen Z and younger Millennials (ages 18 to 34). The proportion of Kenyans aged 18 to 24 accessing the internet increased to 78 per cent from 77 per cent the previous quarter, while internet access among those aged 25 to 34 rose to 68 percent from 67 per cent.
Furthermore, smartphone internet access surged dramatically, with 98.6 per cent of the population using smartphones to access the internet, up from 87.2 per cent the previous quarter. This increase underscores the growing importance of the internet for leisure activities, including social media use.
