While social media has emerged as a powerful tool in the fight against gender based violence, its force is double edged. Social media has the ability to expand opportunities to promulgate, reinforce and amplify harm. It provides fertile ground for misogyny, cyber-attacks, and the amplification of violence.
In recent years, the world has witnessed the power of online campaigns as a tool for advoacy. from the global #MeToo movement to regional outcries like Kenya’s #EndFemicideKe and South Africa #JusticeforCwecwe. These hashtags have become rallying cries, mobilizing millions and shifting public discourse. Governments, NGOs, media outlets, individuals, and influencers have leveraged digital spaces to ignite change, amplify survivor voices, and call for justice.
The 2024 Match against Femicide in Kenya was the biggest and successfully match against femicide that was purely organized online. The coordinated efforts on social media transformed grief into collective action and policy demands. But behind these successes lies shadows of harm and hostility.
Activists, journalists, and survivors using social media as a tool for advocacy are increasingly being targeted. Trolls , threats, cyber-attacks and misogynistic abuse that were once whisperd now go viral through TikTok trends, memes, and music, normalizing harm and distorting societal values. The promotion of violent ideas are now amplified through music, memes and Viral Tiktok challenges, these continue to undermine efforts to end gender-based violence.
To fully harness the power of social media, we must rethink online safety for all persons. Addressing online safety in gender based violence prevention and response requires robust mechanism that encompasses both regulation, awareness and accountability. The government should strengthen the implementation of Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act and Data Protection Act. Digital media has created new forms of gender inequalities, current policies related to Gender-Based Violence need to be updated to meet the evolving digital ethics needs.
But legislation is not enough, we need digital literacy. With the rise of citizen journalists, there is need to increase media literacy to foster critical thinking and analysis of media consumed and content created. To ensure no one is left behind awareness programs should take multiple approaches including short courses, school programs at all levels, advertisements both on social media and traditional media as well through community graphiti.
The media too has a role to play, for accurate, ethical and gender-responsive reporting, there is need to train professional journalist and continued capacity building them for updates on emerging trends. We want accountability. Tech giants must adopt user protection policies and regulation that support safety of its users. There should be a system to promote accountability.
Kenya’s youthful, tech-savvy population presents an unprecedented opportunity for harnessing the power of digital technologies. These young minds can create art, film and innovations that are sollutions to current and emerging global challenges such as climate change and femicide. But in order for this to happen, safety must be prioritized. Co-creation of safety plans with the youth is very important.
Shame thrives in silence. Cyber-crimes are an attempt to silence women and girls. Women should continue fighting for their rights using existing resources including digital media and AI. We all have a social and moral responsibility to do no harm, creating safety on social media in the fight against gender based violence is and should be a priority. Ritah Anindo Obonyo is the Executive Director of Community Voices Network Kenya
