More Than 70% of Kenyan Parents Don’t Know What Their Children Consume Online – Report
The temptation by any parent to snoop on what their children are watching on TV, mobile or the
internet comes naturally. The fast evolving digital space within accelerated and highly accessible
multitude of engagement platforms should keep almost all parents worried.
But not so, according to a research report conducted by global research firm 60 Decibels for social
impact firm, Akili Network.
The company is credited with creating AkiliKids, a range of digitally delivered audio visual shows
designed to reshape the African edutainment landscape for children.
The report whose launch this morning at a Nairobi hotel was presided over by the Communications
Authority of Kenya (CA) Director General, Ezra Chiloba, found that just 27 percent of Kenyan parents
with teenagers aged between 12-19 regularly spoke to their children about what they consume
online; a staggering 44 percent were inconsistent, 18 percent rarely, while 11 percent didn’t even
bother.
60 Decibels spoke to over 300 parents across five counties including Nairobi, Kiambu, Nyeri and
Nakuru and revealed that more teenagers are visiting internet sites particularly from mobile phones
than is expected.
This, said Akili Network President and Co-Founder Jesse Soleil, should sound the alarm bells and
make parents pay close attention to their children’s online activities. Speaking when he released the
report of the survey, Mr Soleil said the study offered the company an insight into the impact of using
educative entertainment content to shape teenage knowledge, perception and behavior.
“This survey has shown us that while parental control tools are available for managing Internet
activity by children, they are not sufficient. Parents need to increase their interaction, especially with
their teenagers, have conversations frequently about topical issues and share with them the stories
coming from shows which are delivered by their peers on social issues they can relate with.” he said.
Citing the company’s Flash Squad series, a TV production which was launched last year, he noted
that the show had illustrated, effectively, that content designed and delivered with social impact
themes such as cyber security, online safety, climate change and environmental conservation,
deeply engage and positively influence Kenya’s teenagers aged between 10 – 19 years, whose
population is estimated to be about a quarter of the national population.
The launch of the study, he noted, provides a moment to pause and reflect on the post-Covid impact
of the struggles that parents and teachers are confronted with when trying to keep children safe
while also looking ahead to what is possible to assure the wellbeing and protection of children from
becoming victims of online gangsterism.
At least 83 per cent of the respondents said their confidence levels had increased in using the
Internet after gaining tips and safer navigation knowledge from the Flash Squad show – which was
highlighted in the report as a successful proof of possibility. Most parents surveyed also expressed a
need for the show to expand its scope of the issues it covered to include topics like peer pressure,
noting that their children connected with the characters’ youthfulness and accessible language– or
the teen-speak.
Another finding- how TV can make children and families safer and smarter – by research firm IPSOS,
also released at the same event, encouraged parents to use TV more by watching and discussing
content together with their children. According to the report, by the end of last year, TV viewing in
Kenya stood at 74%, slightly behind radio at 79 per cent and way ahead of the internet at 46 per
cent. Mobile phone usage stood at a high 92 per cent, backing the finding by 60 Decibels that
children’s access to content via mobile phones was growing exponentially and needed to be
monitored.
TV has proved to be a very effective medium, on par with radio in reach and engagement at the
family level and is safer than personalized platforms like mobile phones or computers.
“Parents will feel the natural urge to eavesdrop on their children’s mobile phones or computers but
TV is a family viewing platform which can be regulated without seeming to intrude on the teens
privacy and thereby creating tension”, said Mr Soleil who added that both findings should be useful
resources for companies and nonprofits that target children to tailor-make their products or
services.
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