On 18 November 2025, Amnesty International published a report , “This fear, everyone is feeling it”: Tech-facilitated violence against young activists in Kenya alleging that Kenyan authorities systematically deployed technology-facilitated violence as part of a coordinated and sustained campaign to suppress Generation Z-led protests between June 2024 and July 2025 against corruption and the introduction of new tax legislation. The report shows how government and allied groups are increasingly weaponizing digital platforms to stifle protests as part of broader repressive measures designed to shut down digitally-organized dissent.

The report alleges that the campaigns were driven by state-sponsored trolls, individuals and a network of people paid to promote and amplify pro-government messages with the aim of reaching Kenya’s top daily trends on X.” The report goes on to state that between June 2024 and July 2025, young people organized protests on and off-line demanding an end to femicide and corruption. Major demonstrations took place across 44 of Kenya’s 47 counties including Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu. Social media played a major role in the organization of protests and amplification of protest voices. Kenyan authorities responded with online intimidation, threats, incitement to hatred, and surveillance interfering with rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Online harassment and smear campaigns became core state tools to undermine the credibility and reach of government critics. Some of these tactics facilitated and were later used to justify arrests, enforced disappearances and killings of notable protest organizers. Amnesty International estimates that, across both sets of protests, excessive use of force by security agencies resulted in at least 128 deaths, 3,000 arrests and over 83 enforced disappearances. Of the 31 human rights defenders (HRD) interviewed, nine reported receiving violent threats via direct and public messages on X, TikTok, Facebook and WhatsApp during the 2024 protests.

In response to Amnesty’s findings, Kenya’s Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, said, “The Government of Kenya does not sanction harassment, or violence against any citizen. All security agencies are required to operate strictly within the constitution, the National Police Service Act, and all applicable laws and any officer implicated in unlawful conduct bears individual responsibility and is subject to investigation and sanction in accordance with the law.” In response to the allegations, Safaricom said it “only shares customer data through lawful means and for lawful purposes.

Meta (formerly Facebook) and WhatsApp (part of Meta) responded to BHRC’s invitation by stating that the company seeks to protect human rights defenders, as defined by the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. This includes professional and citizen journalists; non-violent political activists; and any member of the public who raises a human rights concern. The company further stated that its Corporate Human Rights Policy recognizes human rights defenders as a high-risk user group. Therefore, the company strives to offer specific measures to protect their safety and well-being. These efforts include combatting advanced threat actors targeting HRDs, protecting them from incorrect content removals using Cross-Check, offering advanced security options, taking steps to thwart unauthorized access to the accounts of defenders who are arrested or detained, and partnering with human rights organizations on outreach and training.

TikTok’s response stated that the company does not tolerate bullying or harassment of any kind, as outlined in its Community Guidelines. This includes coordinated attacks against individuals or groups, such as human rights defenders. X Corp. (formerly Twitter) did not respond