Since the Gen Z-led protests in Kenya in 2024, social media has shifted from the margins to the mainstream of public influence. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X are no longer merely for entertainment—they have become powerful tools for mobilisation, storytelling, and even earning a living.
This transformation has not gone unnoticed. During this year’s Labour Day address, the Secretary General of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU-K) called for greater regulation of social media. Once overlooked by leadership, online voices are now both influential and sometimes, threatening.
For many Kenyan youths, social media is not just a pastime—it is a source of livelihood. A stroll through Nairobi on the weekend reveals creators filming content that generates income and visibility. Dance, once confined to cultural ceremonies, has evolved into a form of digital labour. These platforms have redefined the nature of work in the 21st century.
However, regulation presents a sensitive issue. Historical warnings abound, such as the 250-year ban the Ottoman Empire imposed on the printing press, which prevented it from keeping pace while Europe surged ahead. The danger lies in the potential for over-regulation to stifle progress.
Kenya faces a cultural challenge. African societies, grounded in community, spirituality, and tradition, often find that imported technologies clash with their value systems. Unlike in the West, where cultural norms are adjusted to accommodate technology, this technology is considered disruptive.
East Asia offers an alternative model. Countries like China have embraced high-tech systems without compromising their cultural values. Apps like KakaoTalk and Douyin are tailored to accommodate local customs, languages, and social norms. They regulate to preserve identity while still innovating.
Kenya can pursue a similar path. The aim should not be to suppress social media but to shape it. This move involves investing in local platforms, integrating cultural literacy into tech education, and crafting policies that foster innovation while safeguarding national values.
Kenya stands at a crossroads. With the right guidance, it can lead to a different kind of digital transformation—one that is proudly Kenyan, culturally relevant, and globally competitive.
