ICT CS William Kabogo rules out social media shutdown in Kenya
Addressing rising concerns about the regulation of digital spaces, Kabogo on Monday made it clear that discussions on banning or disabling these platforms were "not on the table at all."
Social media users in Kenya can now breathe a sigh of relief as Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT), William Kabogo, assured the public that the government has no intention of shutting down Facebook or any other social media platforms.
Addressing rising concerns about the regulation of digital spaces, Kabogo on Monday made it clear that discussions on banning or disabling these platforms were "not on the table at all."
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"I would not envisage or imagine a situation where we would switch off Facebook," Kabogo said, adding that the topic of banning or switching off social media platforms was far from being considered.
The Cabinet Secretary also mentioned that Facebook had been asked to set up resident offices in Kenya to ensure there is a local point of contact for issues related to the platform.
His comments come amid rising debates on the role of social media in spreading misinformation and its impact on national peace.
"We need to also tell the guys who own these platforms to be responsible," Kabogo said.
"We've seen how information can cause chaos, whether it's credible or not. We can't afford to have people doing things that destabilise the country because of misleading or harmful content."
South Sudan social media ban
His remarks come against the backdrop of actions taken by South Sudanese authorities to block access to social media platforms following recent unrest.
On January 22, South Sudan's telecommunications regulator, the National Communication Authority, directed internet service providers to "block access to all social media accounts" for a period of 30 to 90 days.
The directive, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), aims to curb the spread of footage showing the killings of South Sudanese nationals in neighbouring Sudan, which had triggered violent protests and retaliatory killings of Sudanese nationals.
This decision by South Sudan has drawn sharp criticism from press freedom advocates and sparked concerns over the public's access to information.
Going further, The ICT CS outlined that while he supports freedom of expression, he drew the line at insults and abusive content.
"As the new ICT CS, I want Kenyans to be able to express themselves freely, but expressing yourself doesn't mean you must be insulting or abusive," Kabogo said.
The former Kiambu Governor also revealed plans for an inclusive platform where Kenyans can engage directly with the ICT Ministry.
"I am going to have a platform where everyone will be able to talk to the Minister of ICT on ICT-related issues," he shared.
However, the CS stressed that the conversations should remain respectful.
"I hope that when we open the X platform, or whatever platform we will use, it will be decent."
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