Sunday Nation; Social Media Rules Bill, Police Jailbreaks Trail and DCP Disquiet in Mt Kenya

A new Bill proposing tough rules for social media platforms has been tabled in Parliament, with age verification and parental consent at the centre of measures meant to protect children online, according to the Sunday Nation’s front page for November 8, 2026.

The paper says the Bill is aimed at shielding minors from pornography, cyberbullying, predatory contact and other harmful content.

MPs are proposing punitive penalties for tech firms and their executives who fail to comply. Parental consent would be required before minors can access social media, and it can be withdrawn at any time. The full report is on pages 6 and 7.

Under the proposals, service providers would have to verify the age of users through a credit card or by referencing the identity of a parent before granting access.

A firm that fails to comply would face a fine of Sh500 million, while a chief executive whose company commits an offence through acts of omission or negligence would face a fine of Sh10 million or five years’ imprisonment.

Platforms would also be required to carry out a risk assessment of their content once every year and remove harmful material.

The paper says Kenya is set to join Australia, the United Kingdom and the European Union, which already have strict social media policies on children.

Elsewhere on the front page, the paper reports on a trail of jailbreaks, saying rogue police officers are helping suspects, including capital offenders, to evade justice.

In one instance, on-duty officers claimed they had been overpowered during a commotion even though no shots were fired. The story is on page 7.

Another story highlights the plight of jobless teachers aged over 40 who have been locked out of Teachers Service Commission jobs, on page 19.

The paper also reports on disquiet within the DCP in Mt Kenya ahead of party nominations, on pages 4 and 18, and carries a sports story on how Hussein Mohammed turned the tables on Mariga, on page 32.

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