Tag: META news

Facebook Remains the Leading Social Media Platform in Kenya

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Facebook’s dominance in Kenya’s social media landscape continues to grow, solidifying its position as the country’s most popular platform.

According to the latest report by the Communications Authority (CA) of Kenya on audience measurement and industry trends, Facebook accounted for 57.1% of users as of December 2024. WhatsApp, also owned by Meta, followed closely with 54.4%, while TikTok secured third place with 29.5%. YouTube held 26.2% of the digital market, with Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) trailing at 12.9% and 12.2%, respectively.

“The widespread use and frequent mention of Facebook and WhatsApp highlight their significant influence in Kenya’s digital space. Social media, primarily accessed via mobile phones, remains a crucial part of media consumption,” the CA noted.

The report revealed a 10% rise in Facebook usage within Kenya. In the three months leading up to December 2023, Facebook surpassed WhatsApp as the most-used social media platform. At the time, CA data showed that 47.5% of Kenyans were on Facebook, narrowly edging out WhatsApp at 47.3%.

Previously, YouTube held third place, but TikTok has since overtaken it. Despite this shift, YouTube’s user base has grown, increasing from 18.6% in early 2023 to 21% by the end of that year, and further reaching 26.2% by December 2024.

TikTok has also seen steady growth, climbing from 17% to 19.3%, eventually surpassing YouTube as the third most popular platform. Meanwhile, Instagram has struggled to expand its user base, increasing only slightly from 11.8% to 12.9%. On the other hand, X has gained traction, growing from 7.9% to 12.2%.

What AI Jobs in Kenya Involve

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A group of Kenyans has shared their experiences working in Artificial Intelligence (AI) jobs, supporting global tech giants like Meta, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google.

Featured in an episode titled Human in the Loop on the U.S. CBS YouTube channel 60 Minutes, three Kenyans discussed the challenges they face amidst limited job opportunities. They are part of a global workforce tasked with ensuring AI systems function efficiently, often referred to as “humans in the loop.”

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Their work involves labeling and sorting vast amounts of online data to train and enhance AI models for major tech companies. The job demands precision, speed, and cost-efficiency.

Naftali Wambalo, one of the Kenyan workers, explained that Kenya has become a key hub for this type of labor.

“The robots or machines—you’re teaching them how to think and act like humans,” said Naftali, a father of two with a college degree in Mathematics. He was thrilled to find work in this growing field.

“I worked on labeling videos and images,” he added, describing his role.

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During his 8-hour shifts, Naftali would spend his time in front of a screen, analyzing photos and videos. His tasks included drawing boxes around objects, labeling them, and teaching AI algorithms to recognize these items.

“You’d identify items like a TV, a microwave, and so on, teaching the AI to automatically detect them. There was also work involving faces—identifying the color of the face and classifying it as white, Black, or Asian. This helps train AI to identify people based on such characteristics,” Naftali explained.

Meta Addresses Allegations of ‘Fake’ Monetization Promises to Kenyan Content Creators

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Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, has addressed concerns raised by Kenyan musician and content creator Michael Bundi regarding the promised rollout of the monetization program in Kenya this month.

This issue arose after President William Ruto met with Meta executives and subsequently announced on August 6, 2024, that Kenyan content creators would begin monetizing their content on Meta’s platforms. “Starting today, Kenyan content creators can monetize their videos on Meta platforms. We encourage our creatives to seize this opportunity to boost their incomes and create job opportunities for others. We will continue to pursue more opportunities for our youth to explore their talents,” the president declared.

President Ruto’s announcement was supported by Moon Baz, Meta’s Global Partnerships Lead for Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey (AMET). Baz confirmed the rollout of monetization tools, including in-stream ads and ads on reels, which would enable Facebook creators in Kenya to earn money through advertisements. “This expansion will empower eligible creators in Kenya’s dynamic creative industry to earn money, while also raising the global standard for creativity and making Meta’s apps a go-to platform for creators,” Baz stated in a press release.

However, on Sunday, August 18, Bundi expressed his frustration after receiving an email from Meta indicating that the monetization program was still unavailable in Kenya. The email read, “Hi Michael, thank you for contacting us again. At the moment, you are pre-registered for ad breaks. Your country is not supported at this time but the program is expanding! You will automatically gain access if we expand to your country.”

Disappointed, Bundi shared his reaction: “Unfortunately, the in-stream ads monetization announced by William Ruto and Moon Baz has not yet taken effect in Kenya. This is the latest message I’ve received from Facebook. As a creator, I’m very disappointed. No words!”

Moon Baz acknowledged the issue and assured users that Meta was addressing it, though she did not provide a specific timeline for resolution.

In Kenya, Facebook and Instagram create AMBER notifications to assist in the search for missing children.

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Kenya has taken a significant stride in bolstering child safety with the introduction of AMBER Alerts via Facebook and Instagram, marking its entry as the fourth African nation to adopt the program, following South Africa, Nigeria, and Morocco.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, unveiled an in-app Amber Alert system designed to swiftly disseminate information about missing children, empowering users to share alerts and contribute to search efforts.

The launch, which occurred on March 18, 2024, in collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ Anti-Human Trafficking & Child Protection Unit (AHTCPU) and Missing Child Kenya, aims to enhance the quest for missing children by raising public awareness and involvement.

Emily Vacher, Director of Trust and Safety at Meta, underscored the crucial role of community engagement in locating missing children, particularly within the critical initial hours.

She outlined that when law enforcement triggers an AMBER Alert in the designated search area, users in that vicinity will receive alerts on their Facebook and Instagram feeds.

“These alerts will provide crucial information about the missing child, including a photo, description, abduction location, and any other relevant details. Users can also share the alert with their networks to amplify search efforts,” she explained.

Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, noted the challenges of traditional methods for reporting lost children.

“Incorporating technology will enable individuals to swiftly locate and report instances of missing children. This initiative complements existing reporting methods. Given the widespread access to platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it empowers online users not only to block unwanted messages but also to report them,” he stated.

Maryana Munyendo, Founder/CEO of Missing Child Kenya, underscored the importance of leveraging technological advancements for timely reporting and information sharing in finding missing children.

“With technological advances, the global village is now borderless and digital. The launch of the AMBER Alert, known as the ‘Kenya Emergency Child Alert’ program on Facebook and Instagram, will enhance data sharing, provision of information, and prompt reporting of missing children in Kenya. We are proud to be part of this initiative advocating for Better Data – Better Lives,” she said.

Mr. Mohammed Amin, Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), expressed enthusiasm for the partnership with Meta, highlighting the role of increased public vigilance in addressing missing child cases.

“This initiative will enable a quicker response in locating missing children by engaging more people to be vigilant and report any leads to the appropriate authorities. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) values this partnership with Meta, and we are eager to collaborate to help find missing children in Kenya,” he emphasized.