Google has refused almost two thirds of the Kenyan government’s requests to pull down content, including YouTube videos and search results, in the face of a sharp rise in takedown demands. The figures lay bare mounting tension between Nairobi and the world’s largest tech platforms over who gets to police the digital public square.
In the six months to June, Google rejected 26 out of 42 items flagged by Kenyan authorities, a refusal rate of 61.9 per cent. The requests, largely citing national security, defamation and hate speech, were disclosed in the company’s Global Transparency Report, a twice-yearly publication that details the volume and nature of government efforts to remove online material.
The rejection rate has climbed steadily. It stood at 46 per cent in the second half of 2024 and just 25 per cent in the first half of that year. At the same time, Kenya sharply increased the number of items it asked Google to take down, rising from 11 in the previous six-month period, a 281 per cent jump. Most of the requests were channelled through the Communications Authority of Kenya and centred on allegations of defamation, privacy violations, impersonation and threats to national security.
Google has previously argued that governments frequently invoke defamation and privacy laws to target politically damaging speech or criticism of state actors. The company says it reviews each case independently to determine whether the content breaches local law or its own policies. During the period under review, Google removed five of 16 items for violating its internal rules, but declined to act on 11 others, citing insufficient detail from the authorities.
The rising rejection rate comes as the Kenyan government intensifies scrutiny of social media and online platforms, which have become powerful tools for mobilisation and activism. Last year, officials called on social media companies to establish local offices to enhance accountability and speed up content moderation.
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In October, President William Ruto assented to amendments to the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, granting authorities the power to order the removal or blocking of online content deemed illegal without first obtaining a court order. Human rights organisations swiftly challenged the move, warning that it threatened constitutionally protected freedom of expression. A court has since suspended the amendments. Otsieno Namwaya of Human Rights Watch cautioned that the changes gave authorities broad powers to curb online speech through sweeping provisions.
Global platforms such as Facebook, X and YouTube have long been hailed as engines of free expression and political participation. Yet they must also navigate local legal frameworks, some of which restrict speech that would be protected in jurisdictions such as the United States. This leaves American tech firms balancing commercial interests in lucrative markets against the risk of facilitating censorship.
Beyond legislative measures, Kenya has in recent years faced scrutiny over internet disruptions. Monitoring group NetBlocks reported that the country experienced its longest internet restrictions in 2024 following the June 25 protests, though the communications regulator denied direct state involvement. Compared with some neighbours, Kenya’s internet shutdowns may be less frequent, but its formal requests to remove online content have grown more pronounced as connectivity expands.
Regionally, Kenya now leads Africa in the number of content removal requests sent to Google, overtaking South Africa in 2023. However, its rejection rate far exceeds that of its peers. Nigeria sought the removal of 20 items in the same period, with only 30 per cent declined, while South Africa had 33 per cent rejected after requesting the takedown of six items.
Globally, overall government requests to Google fell by 11 per cent to 679,315 in the six months to June 2025, down from a record 765,263 in the preceding period. Russia, South Korea and India remained the most prolific requesters, each submitting more than 2,000 takedown demands.
Vivian Ochola of the Institute of Economic Affairs has warned that when citizens and digital workers fear surveillance or punishment for online expression, innovation, civic participation and economic engagement suffer. The debate unfolding in Kenya is therefore not merely about disputed posts or search results. It is about who shapes the boundaries of speech in an increasingly digital republic, and at what cost.
