Trans Nzoia Senator Chesang Allan has asked the government to step in and address growing complaints from Kenyan content creators over how they earn money on social media platforms.
The senator has formally called on the Senate ICT Committee to look into the issue, with a focus on the platform X, where a number of creators say they are not satisfied with how payments are handled.
Speaking on the matter, Chesang said many young Kenyans now depend on the digital space to make a living, but questions are emerging around how earnings are calculated and shared.
It was further noted that creators seem to have challenges figuring out how the monetization process operates, which is worrying since it raises questions of equity.
This demand focuses around having clarity into how revenues are made through X, how revenues are divided between users and the platform and how much revenue the creator makes out of it all.
The committee will also investigate the difference in treatment of Kenyan users compared to creators from other regions and also compare the process with other social platforms.
Social media has proven to be one of the sources of income generation for many people, with YouTube and Facebook proving to be more experienced platforms in this regard.
Furthermore, Chesang wants to know if there has been any communication with the Ministry of ICT or Communication Authority of Kenya regarding discussions with X.
He has also asked for review of current laws and whether these laws are adequate for the purpose of dealing with such digital income generation processes.
This has increased pressure on the ICT Minister, William Kabogo to give a response to this matter.
