Kenya Online Safety Bill 2026 Targets Age Checks on Apps

In Short

Kenya Online Safety Bill 2026 would require social media platforms to verify users’ ages and get parental consent for users under 18.

Platforms that fail to comply could face fines of up to KSh500 million or 10% of annual global turnover.

Senior executives involved in non-compliance could face fines of up to KSh10 million, up to five years in prison, or both.

What Happened: How The Kenya Online Safety Bill 2026 Would Work

The Kenya Online Safety Bill 2026 is a proposed law introduced by Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje. It targets social media companies operating in Kenya, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, X, and TikTok.

Under the Bill, providers would need to verify a user’s age or estimate it (a system that tries to tell if someone is a child). If the user is below 18, the platform would also need to confirm parental responsibility before granting access.

The Bill lists possible ways to confirm parental responsibility. These include credit card verification, cross-referencing a parent’s identity, and decentralised digital identity verification. The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) could approve other methods.

The Bill would make “age assurance” part of account access. It also says a parent or guardian could withdraw consent, after which the provider would have to restrict the child’s access within a prescribed period.

Why It Matters: Big Compliance And Enforcement Stakes

The Bill sets out large civil penalties for companies. It also extends penalties to leadership, with the possibility of a fine, prison, or both for senior executives tied to non-compliance.

The CA would oversee enforcement. Providers would be entitled to notification and a hearing before civil penalties are imposed.

The proposal comes alongside existing moderation and age-related enforcement activity. TikTok reported removing 884,591 videos in Kenya in the first quarter of 2026, with 99.7% removed proactively. TikTok also reported taking down 48,739 accounts suspected of belonging to users under 13 and interrupting 103,847 LIVE rooms.

The Bill would add a separate obligation by requiring parental authorisation for users below 18, going beyond removals tied to suspected under-13 use.