Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has warned young Kenyans against the harmful consequences of using social media irresponsibly.
Speaking in Vihiga on Saturday, June 7, the PCS acknowledged the positive aspects of social media, further encouraging them to use it within reason, as exploitation of the platforms would have severe consequences, ultimately impacting their futures.
Among these consequences he warned of was being denied travel visas or jobs after a deep dive into their social media history.
"When you want to travel, your track record will be monitored, especially when you are applying for visas. For you to get clearance on your travel documents, soon your track record on social media engagements will play a critical role," the Foreign Affairs CS cautioned.
“Don’t be surprised that even employers are now looking at your social media behavioural activities within the digital space. Be very careful not to shoot yourself in the foot."
Furthermore, he added that countries like the United States of America, where many Kenyan youth dream of emigrating to, were already in the process of setting up a framework to monitor social media usage.
This, he said, should motivate Kenyan youth to be aware of the new parameters being introduced through the laws of many countries.
Mudavadi further warned that the conduct of a few youths in the social media space could tarnish the image of the entire Kenyan youth population, whom he described as disciplined, hard-working, and focused.
“I want to tell the young people of our country that embracing the use of social media is appreciated. But what we are seeing when it comes to the changes taking place across the globe should be a wake-up call on how they relate and interact on those platforms,” cautioned Mudavadi.
“I am telling the youth to be more reasonable and, at the same time, very careful in how they engage on social media,” he added.
In 2024, Mudavadi had also warned about the role of social media in facilitating Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), urging youth to be extra cautious in their online interactions.
He therefore called for the adoption of aggressive policies and regulations to address the growing prevalence of this vice online, noting that many predators are taking advantage of the increasing popularity of sites like TikTok and Instagram to lure the youth and inflict physical harm in some cases, ending up in murder cases.
