Evaluating legal and policy responses to online child grooming awareness in Kenya
Date
2024
Authors
Onyango, B. C.
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Publisher
Strathmore University
Abstract
The digital age has revolutionized access to information and communication, but it has also created fertile ground for online child exploitation, including grooming. This phenomenon, where perpetrators manipulate and build trust with minors online for malicious purposes, poses a growing threat in Kenya. This paper delves into the complexities of online child grooming in the Kenyan context. It analyses how algorithms and digital platforms both enable and complicate efforts to identify and prevent such offenses. The focus then shifts to the legal and policy frameworks in place to tackle this issue. The paper evaluates the effectiveness of existing laws and examines the policy initiatives aimed at curbing online child exploitation. Crucially, the paper analyses the limitations of these existing frameworks and identifies key gaps in legal and policy responses. Finally, the paper proposes solutions and recommendations for strengthening Kenya’s response to online child exploitation and grooming. This could involve legislative reforms, enhanced collaboration between law enforcement and tech companies, and the development of effective awareness-raising campaigns targeting both children and their caregivers.
Keywords: Online child exploitation, grooming, Kenya, digital age, legal framework, policy responses, technology.
Description
Full - text Undergraduate research project
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Citation
Onyango, B. C. (2024). Evaluating legal and policy responses to online child grooming awareness in Kenya [Strathmore University]. http://hdl.handle.net/11071/15707