Social media platform owned by Meta, central to coverage of child safety, teen addiction claims, and technology-facilitated sexual exploitation in Kenya and globally.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Capital News
… The outage comes at a time when social media platforms have become central to public discourse in Kenya, with Facebook ranking among the country’s most influential digital platforms alongside WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and X.
Facebook Outage Locks Out Thousands of Users as Platform Reports Temporary Site IssueCitizen Digital
… Instagram celebrated visual storytelling. X became a forum for public debate. …
The marketplace internet: How Kenya's digital spaces are changingThe Standard
… Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook quickly became the focus of concerns over deteriorating mental health, cyberbullying, online predators and deliberately addictive design. …
Beyond social media: Are governments regulating the wrong thing?The Standard
… "More can and must be done." Alongside the recommendations, the EU has ramped up the pressure on social media platforms to change, telling Facebook and Instagram Friday to dismantle their "addictive" features, after a similar warning to TikTok in February.The expert panel met thr …
Mulling ban, EU gets expert verdict on social media for childrenThe Standard
… Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook quickly became the focus of concerns over deteriorating mental health, cyberbullying, online predators and deliberately addictive design. …
Beyond social media: When governments regulate the wrong thingCitizen Digital
… A quick scroll through Kenyan Instagram and TikTok pages reveals just how much the industry has evolved. …
The great beauty reset: Why more Kenyans are removing tattoos, eyebrows and gel nailsCitizen Digital
… Brussels could take a risk-based approach, prohibiting features it views as harmful rather than banning platforms like Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok. …
EU moves closer to kicking kids off social mediaCitizen Digital
… Meta's social media platforms -- WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram -- and X are among the most popular in the country. …
Nigeria probes big tech, AI firms for 'unlawful' media content useCitizen Digital
… Meta's social media platforms -- WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram -- and X are among the most popular in the country. …
Nigeria probes big tech, AI firms for 'unlawful' media content useThe Standard
… Meta continues to introduce new features across its platforms.Instagram recently launched Instants, a feature that lets users share spontaneous, disappearing photos through direct messages. …
Don't want to share number? WhatsApp has got you coveredMeta said Wednesday it has begun testing Community Notes in 16 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, a crowdsourced system modeled on Elon Musk's X, designed to replace the professional fact-checking program it runs with partner organizations across the region.
9 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Meta said Wednesday it has begun testing Community Notes in 16 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, a crowdsourced system modeled on Elon Musk's X, designed to replace the professional fact-checking program it runs with partner organizations across the region.
9 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A UNICEF report titled "Through Children's Eyes" found that 1,292,364 children aged 12–17 in Kenya were subjected to at least one form of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse, based on a survey conducted between 2020–2021 and 2024–2025.
6 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Nearly one in five internet-using children aged 12 to 17 across 21 countries experienced technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse in a single year, affecting an estimated 20 million children. The abuse predominantly occurs on mainstream social media platforms and is frequently perpetrated by people children already know, with Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram accounting for the majority of cases.
3 September 2026 · Capital News →
Meta's US state settlement requires the company to implement curfews and time limits for users aged 13–17 on Instagram and Facebook within one year, but the method for verifying age remains unclear and raises privacy concerns among advocates.
29 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The United Nations urged child-safe design across the social media industry after Meta agreed to pay up to $16.7 billion to a coalition of US states and impose limits on teen use of Facebook and Instagram, settling claims that Meta deliberately engineered its platforms to hook young users and unlawfully collected data from children under 13.
28 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Meta agreed to pay up to $16.7 billion to a coalition of US states and impose new restrictions on teen use of Facebook and Instagram, resolving a landmark lawsuit over claims the company deliberately hooked young users, misled the public about risks, and unlawfully collected data from children under 13.
27 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Meta agreed to pay as much as $16.7 billion to a coalition of 29 US states and impose sweeping new limits on how teenagers use Facebook and Instagram, resolving a landmark trial that alleged the company deliberately engineered its platforms to hook young users, misled the public about risks, and unlawfully collected data from children under 13.
26 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Opening arguments begin Tuesday in a federal trial where Meta faces charges of deliberately making Instagram and Facebook addictive to children, with a coalition of states seeking $200 billion in penalties. Meta denies the allegations and says it has worked to incorporate protective safeguards for children.
19 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A landmark trial begins Tuesday in California where a coalition of states sues Meta, claiming the company deliberately made Facebook and Instagram addictive for children in violation of state and federal laws. Meta attempted to block ex-employee Arturo Bejar from testifying as an expert witness, but a federal judge dismissed the request.
18 August 2026 · The Standard →
A jury trial beginning Tuesday stems from a 2023 lawsuit filed by 30 US states claiming Meta violated privacy laws for children. The states are seeking upwards of $1 trillion and demanding changes to Instagram and Facebook, including ending "like" counts, infinite scroll, recommendation algorithms, image filters, autoplay, multiple accounts, and disappearing posts.
17 August 2026 · Capital News →
A Standard opinion piece reflects on how videos of newly graduated KDF officers openly embracing family and crying at their pass-out ceremony, shared on social media, challenged the traditional perception that military and police officers should remain emotionally stoic. The piece suggests the Gen Z generation is breaking with an old mythology that officers should keep emotions separate from duty.
17 August 2026 · The Standard →
Meta will defend itself in federal court this week against allegations from four states—California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey—that it deliberately designed addictive features in Facebook and Instagram for children. Experts describe the case as social media's "tobacco moment," comparing it to tobacco lawsuits from the 1990s.
12 August 2026 · The Standard →
Mark Zuckerberg published an essay on the future of artificial intelligence calling for the US to compete against China, prevent "government tyranny" over AI, and ensure "superintelligence" technology becomes available to everyone. He argues the solution includes "open" weight models that allow users to download the rules governing how an AI system behaves, contrasting with competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic that focus on closed AI models.
11 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Meta will face a federal trial starting this week brought by four US states (California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey) alleging the company deliberately made Instagram and Facebook addictive for children. The attorneys general are seeking restrictions on how the platforms operate for minors and up to $1.4 trillion in penalties.
10 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
An Indian parliamentary panel called on Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg to apologize for the temporary removal of a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Facebook and Instagram on July 23, which Meta said was caused by a technical error. The panel's head said the removal was the work of a publisher rather than an intermediary and demanded an apology within three days.
6 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Tuskegee University has implemented a dress code policy prohibiting students from wearing bonnets, durags, bedroom slippers, and pajama wear in academic buildings, dining facilities, and official university spaces for the 2026–2027 academic year. University President Dr. Mark A. Brown stated the policy aims to prepare students for professional environments after graduation, sparking debate on social media and in higher education circles.
29 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has responded to World Cup critics in an open letter, claiming they were "spreading hate and false rumours" and arguing the tournament delivered "only joy and happiness" despite controversies over ticket pricing and visa issues.
27 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
France's Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill banning social media access for children under 15, making France the first European country to bar children from apps such as TikTok. President Emmanuel Macron championed the ban and pledged to enforce it by September.
22 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
French lawmakers are expected to approve a bill banning social media access for children under 15, with the ban set to roll out in stages beginning September 1, when under-15s will be blocked from creating new accounts. President Macron has championed the law as a flagship reform and pledged enforcement by September, which would also include a mobile phone ban in secondary schools.
21 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
French lawmakers are expected to approve a bill banning social media access for children under 15, making France the first European country to introduce such a digital age limit. The ban will be rolled out in stages, starting with blocking new account creation for under-15s from September 1.
21 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Thousands of Facebook users in Kenya and across the world were temporarily locked out of their accounts on Sunday due to a widespread service disruption. Users attempting to access the platform through web browsers received a message indicating a technical issue on Facebook's end, and some also reported difficulties on the mobile application.
19 July 2026 · Capital News →
Social media platforms like TikTok and Telegram in Kenya have transformed from spaces for sharing moments into commercial hubs where users market themselves, build businesses, seek financial support, and sometimes exploit others. Platforms originally designed for entertainment and privacy have increasingly hosted both legitimate economic activity and criminal enterprises.
14 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
An opinion piece questions whether bans on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook address the real problem of child safety online, noting that such restrictions could simply push conversations to messaging apps and gaming platforms that escape current legal definitions.
13 July 2026 · The Standard →
An expert panel of doctors, academics, youth representatives and parents will deliver recommendations on Monday to help the European Union decide whether to ban children from social media. Greece, France and Spain have pushed for limiting minors' access, and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has tasked the panel to advise on how the bloc should address the issue, with a legal proposal expected this summer.
13 July 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece examines whether banning social media for children would effectively address concerns over mental health and online safety, or whether conversations would simply shift to messaging apps and gaming platforms outside the legal definition of "social media."
13 July 2026 · The Standard →
A growing market in Nairobi is developing around removal and reversal of past beauty decisions, as people move away from permanent or semi-permanent modifications like tattoos, tattooed eyebrows, and gel nails in favor of natural aesthetics.
11 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
An expert report expected July 13 is anticipated to recommend limiting minors' access to online platforms, potentially leading to EU restrictions as early as summer. Options under consideration range from a blanket ban on under-16s to restrictions on certain services and features, following Australia's similar move.
9 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Nigeria's competition regulator launched an investigation into major technology and AI companies, including Meta, Alphabet, X, and generative AI platforms, following allegations of unlawful exploitation of news content and unfair market practices. The investigation, initiated by presidential directive after a petition from the Nigerian Press Organisation, will examine unauthorised use of journalistic content for AI model development.
6 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Nigeria's competition regulator said Monday it is investigating major technology and AI companies over allegations of unlawful exploitation of news content and unfair market practices, following a presidential directive after a petition by the Nigerian Press Organisation citing concerns about unauthorised use of journalistic content for AI training.
6 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
WhatsApp is introducing a feature that lets users interact with strangers without revealing their phone numbers, allowing new contacts to reach them only via a unique username. The platform is also rolling out monetisation tools including paid channel subscriptions and advertisements in Status.
2 July 2026 · The Standard →