Kenya Bill Targets Online Safety For Minors, Proposes Ksh500m Fine For Platforms

Kenya is planning some of the toughest online rules in Africa for children, and big tech companies are under the pressure.

The Online Safety Bill, 2026, introduced by Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje, wants to force social media platforms to take more responsibility when minors see harmful content.

Reports show 1.2 million Kenyan children aged 12 to 17 have experienced sexual exploitation online, with 61% of cases happening through social media. The Bill is still a proposal and will go through public participation before Parliament debates it.

So what are the main rules in the Kenya online safety bill?

At the centre is a new responsibility. That is just a big way of saying Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X and search engines must now think about children first.

Platforms would have to do yearly risk assessments. They must check if their apps are pushing children to cyberbullying, porn and grooming.

They would also have to use age verification to know if a user is really a child, using things like credit card checks and secure identity checks.

The biggest rule is parental consent. A provider shall not permit a child to access a service unless it has obtained consent from a parent or guardian. Parents can withdraw that consent.

Platforms must quickly take down posts linked to Cybercrimes and child abuse. The Communications Authority of Kenya would be the one to watch if they follow it.

Now the proposed Ksh500m fine platforms face.

If a company does not follow the rules, it will pay up to Ksh500 million or 10% of what it makes in a year, whichever is more.

Top bosses who allow this to happen can also be fined up to Ksh10 million, jailed for up to five years, or both.

What it means for apps and parents

For apps, it means social media minors in Kenya would no longer sign up with just a date of birth. Platforms would need stronger age-checks, safer defaults for under-18 accounts, and limits on feeds that are so hard to stop using, while following Kenya's Data Protection Act.

For parents, you get more control. You would approve before your child uses a platform and you could remove that approval later. In real life, it means more ID checks.

Critics say the fines are too high and could make apps end up removing too much content, while supporters say it is long overdue

For now, the Ksh500m fine is a clear warning: Kenya wants apps to put child safety first.