CA explores online safety survey to address public concerns

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) is actively researching online safety trends, revealing that the majority of Kenyan users worry about their digital safety.

The survey, being undertaken in collaboration with the University of Nairobi (UoN), is expected to shine a light on digital behaviors, device usage, parental involvement, and attitudes around risks ranging from online scams, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven misinformation, and cyberbullying, with the final document touted to offer improvements on parental controls, cybersecurity, and digital citizenship.

“We are conducting a national survey with the University of Nairobi to gather empirical data on online risks and inform policy. Collaboration is central to the work we do, with partnerships spanning over 50 stakeholders, including government, law enforcement, and civil society, to support reporting, victim assistance, and enforcement,” said the Director–General of Communications Authority of Kenya, David Mugonyi.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the Data Privacy Conference 2026 in Mombasa, which brought together leaders, innovators, policymakers, and practitioners to shape the future of data governance.

The three–day event, convened by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) came to a close today, and was officially opened by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy William Kabogo.

It explored emerging technologies, regulatory developments, and best practices on data protection and its ethical use, with the final document to recommend improvements on parental controls, cybersecurity, and digital citizenship.

“It is a collaborative space where ideas meet impact, empowering organisations and individuals to build a secure and inclusive digital future,” Mugonyi.

Governments and organisations alike are increasingly concerned about online safety due to the rapid, often uncontrolled proliferation of digital harms that threaten public safety, mental health, and social cohesion.

Indeed, seven of 10 people say that it’s harder to secure their information on digital platforms than it is to secure their own home, according to a 2025 global survey by Mastercard, which noted that it is not just the degree of difficulty — remembering a host of passwords and juggling one-time passcodes vs. turning a key or arming an alarm, but the scale of the cyber threat.

“If people feel more vulnerable in the virtual world than in their own homes, that signals that the trust in the technology that governs our lives is under threat – and there’s work to be done to achieve the full promise of the digital economy,” said Johan Gerber, the global head of Security Solutions at Mastercard.

Similarly, the report noted that experts said fraud, particularly romance cons, are vastly underreported, because the betrayals are so deeply personal and friends, family, and even law enforcement tend to blame the victim.

And in 2024, according to the firm, losses and damages from cyberattacks came to $9.5 trillion, making cybercrime the third-largest economy in the world — and growing, thanks to the widespread availability of AI tools to supercharge scams and accelerate attacks – MASTERCARD.