The Central Organization of Trade Unions (Kenya) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has called for the government to regulate social media use countrywide to tackle the growing misuse of digital platforms.
Speaking during the COTU shop stewards meeting in Nairobi on Saturday, Atwoli explained that the lack of laws limiting social media and Artificial Intelligence (AI) access promotes its misuse.
He referenced how China, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, has imposed strict laws and censorship on social media to ensure the content aligns with state policies.
The COTU boss expressed fears that a lack of regulation could lead to mass exits from employers and investors, leading to an economic downturn.
“If you leave this country, where else will you go? We plead with our social media users, itabidi muache propaganda (refrain from propaganda). You must love this country or else, employers will exit,” he said.
“If this happens, we will be similar to either Sudan or Congo. A country such as Somalia has not had a well-organised government for years.
“This forces us to urge the government to regulate social media. Something must be done and the time to do it is now. Engage leaders on issues, not on hate,” he added.
The news comes at a time when ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo unveiled plans to regulate social media to control how Kenyans use the platforms.
“On the issue of hate speech and harmful content, this is a matter of every country having its own regulations. It is true that when you look at TikTok, Facebook, and X, you will find all sorts of pornography even available to children,” Kabogo said at County Hall on January 14, 2025.
“This is a situation where our regulator should be able to engage these pro-writers or the owners of these apps to know how they can be regulated.”
