Tag: KFCB

The Kenya Film and Classification Board (KFCB) is stepping up awareness creation in the creative industry to safeguard children from harmful audio-visual content.

KFCB in partnership with the Sports, Arts, and Social Development Fund (SASDF) through the Creative in Arts and Film Literacy (CAFIL) program aims to empower Creatives in Arts and Film to create content that upholds Kenya’s cultural values and protect children from inappropriate audio-visual contents.

The literacy program has been rolled out in Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Embu and aligns with the Fifth Pillar of (BETA), the Talanta Hela Initiative, and Vision 2030.

“By implementing this program and supporting initiatives that are geared towards talent nurturing and monetization, KFCB hopes to contribute to a thriving creative economy that supports the monetization of talent for job opportunities and socio-economic development,” said KFCB Ag. CEO CPA Paskal Opiyo during a CAFIL stakeholder’s engagement forum at the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM).

He reiterated the government’s commitment to provide a conducive environment for film creation.

KFCB has produced a handbook on regulations of filmmaking in the country which the Ag. CEO said has become a one-stop shop where practitioners will get all the information to operate in the film industry.

The handbook has relevant information about importation and permits for drones from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, and filming in the parks and forests from the Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest Service respectively.

“The government intends to ensure the works of content creators are as smooth as possible. Content creators will no longer have to walk to many offices, you simply need to refer to the handbook and you’ll have the contacts of the people that you need to talk to them, they will support you,” he said.

The Ag. CEO informed the creators that the licensing for filmmaking is solely from KFCB through the board website and can be assisted in regional offices in Kisumu, Kakamega, Nakuru, Eldoret, Garissa, Embu and Nairobi.

“Other licenses that you may get from somewhere are not for filming those are licenses relating to the activities you’re operating as a business,” he stated.

KFCB is undertaking self-classification in the wake of the increased use of social media. Content creators and filmmakers are trained to understand KFCB ratings to self-regulate.

“The space is too wide and the laws and regulations are trying to catch up on the pace of social media,” said the Ag. CEO.

Technical University of Mombasa Vice Chancellor Prof Laila Abubakar, said the CAFIL program aligns with their mission of advancing knowledge through practical application where students are nurtured to become creative and come up with content.

“At the end of the day, they will be able to become job creators and not job seekers. Today’s event is a very good opportunity because we want to link our students with the industry and the regulators,” said Prof. Abubakar.

The handbook, she noted will help students pursuing communication studies on how to self-regulate when creating content.

Content creators lauded KFCB for the eye-opening engagement as it will help them protect children while creating content on social media.

“On holidays children are prone to stay up late watching YouTube on TV. The guidelines will help us on what they are going to watch because now the internet is available everywhere,” said Laureen Ndosanjo, an Actress.

Waridi Rehema an upcoming YouTuber and a Voice over Artist noted that the program is essential because most programs are whitewash.

“Being an African and in an African setting we have our cultural norms and our values. It will help me in my content creation to embody that. It is going to also help me understand regulatory rights and intellectual properties,” said Rehema.

Promoting digital literacy among parents and caregivers over online safety of children and families will prevent, address and respond to online cyber bullying, sexual exploitation and abuse of children in the country.

Kenya Films and Classification Board (KFCB) acting Chief Executive Officer Mr Christopher Wambua says with increased awareness among parents about modern smart technologies linked to the internet, they will be positioned to keep children and youth safe from online harm.

Mr Wambua stated that through collecting data from its classification and regulatory duties, the board realized that there was a major information gap among parents.

“We realized that children themselves know more than the parents when it comes to digital literacy and being tech savvy,” he said.

Mr Wambua noted that this becomes a big problem when it comes to protecting children when they are online.

“A study by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicates that two thirds of children that are online have not been taught or guided on how to consume online content appropriately. It is parents’ and teachers’ responsibility to protect them from online harm, especially as the people who are engaged the most with their children,” he added.

He disclosed that the UNICEF study had established that 17 percent of children aged 18 years had been exposed to online pornography, while 30 percent had interacted with strangers.

Speaking at Deliverance Church in Nakuru where KFCB took its Digital Parental Digital Literacy Programme (PaDiL) for parents and guardians the acting CEO observed that the migration to digital space for learning, working and digital business had exposed many to cyber bullies who use fake identities to lure children and adolescents to drugs and sexual abuse under the roof of their parents and caregivers.

He said KFCB in collaboration with Netflix, Google, Tik Tok and other stakeholders launched the program on February 7 that is geared towards empowering parents and caregivers with the necessary skills to guide children on safe and responsible use of digital platforms and creative spaces.

“Parents are buying smart devices yet they are not there to guide their children how to navigate this digital era. Technology is very important but children can veer off too strangers, being groomed or solicited for sexual exploitation and sharing nudes,” observed Mr Wambua.

He noted that while a parent can install parental control products to keep tabs on and limit child’s online exposure to inappropriate content, there are also built-in controls on most computers that parents can easily employ with just a few clicks.

“Raising awareness is important because it is the first step to vigilance and action. For example, parents should be aware of what their children see and hear online, who they meet, and what they share about themselves. But this is easier said than done,” the CEO observed.

He went on “Many parents in Africa, especially those from less educated and poor backgrounds, may not even know what cyber-bullying or online sexual exploitation is. Some may have heard of it but do not quite understand the magnitude of its potentially damaging effects,”

The Ag CEO added that the PaDiL program is designed to address lack of knowledge on standards of media content, content classification and its rationale as well deal with the challenge of limited awareness on the availability of safety tools on Video on Demand (VODs) and Over the Top (OTT) audio-visual platforms, among other knowledge gaps.

In partnership with other stakeholders, Mr. Wambua said KFCB will enhance consumer awareness among its diverse stakeholders, especially parents/caregivers on matters of digital content consumption and child online safety, besides executing its core mandate.

KFCB Chairman Njoroge Njogu noted that the state holds protection of children as one of its top priorities as enshrined in Article 53 of the Constitution that recognizes the right of all children to be protected from among others abuse, neglect, harmful cultural practices, all forms of violence, and inhumane treatment, adding that Kenya is a signatory to various international conventions that advocate for the protection of children in diverse aspects, including exposure to harmful content.

“The Government’s continued implementation of the Children’s Act is a true testament to our commitment towards ensuring the welfare of children,” the Mr Njogu added.

While recognizing the positive role of the internet and the opportunities it provides, the chairman observed that it also pose challenges for children.

“Research has shown that access to internet among children results in better learning outcomes. At a macro level, access to high-capacity or broadband internet has been found to drive economic development and in turn lead to improved living standards of citizens, including children. The resource also offers immense opportunities for entertainment and communication among the youth,” he stated

The Chairman noted that left to their own devices, children could easily fall prey to the dangers and risks that lurk on the internet such as exposure to pornographic materials to grooming and unwanted contact with pedophiles, among other risks.

“A recent study among children aged between 13 and 19 revealed that 66% of the respondents were using the internet (78% male and 22% female). It was further noted that children spent more than 20% of their time online accessing inappropriate content and connecting with strangers,” Mr Njogu revealed.

Michael Murungi, Google’s Government Affairs and Public Policy Lead in East Africa said that nothing can take the place of a parent forging a relationship of meaning, trust, and a true connection with their child.

“We understand that and in order for us to be able to enable young people to love, to learn, to explore, to discover ,to be entertained, there is a need for them to be aware of the risks that exist,’ he said.

Murungi said the path to doing that is through their parents and guardians.

“So what we’ve done is we’ve built not only safety features and products and tools into our products, we’ve also built educational tools for parents about how to create a safe environment in the home,” he said.

He said the home atmosphere is very key to online safety conversations as families.