Did you know that in Kenya, 90% of the information on the internet is consumed on mobile phone? Google Africa recently hosted a conference to share insights on what parents in Kenya are searching for on the Internet. Ever wondered what folks are looking for online? Here are five of the key highlights:
In Kenya there are over 2 million monthly searches for baby-related content. Expectant couples search 57% more than anyone else. They mainly search for answers to questions such as:
HOW-TOs
- How to change a diaper
- How to massage a baby
- How to burp baby
- How to teach times tables
IS THIS NORMAL?
- For my feet to twitch while pregnant?
- For my baby to go through 20 diapers in one night?
- For my wife’s nose to swell during pregnancy?
Other questions Kenyans are searching for include:
Where is ……………………., I need to ………………, I need to buy…………….For new parents, most searches take place at night. If you have the google app on your phone you can use voice search to find articles and videos that answer your queries. The advantage of the google app is that it understands our accents.
What are our kids doing on the internet?
Most of us end up giving our kids the tablet or phone to keep them occupied. No matter how educational or beneficial this content might be, we need to be mindful of several factors.
One of Google Africa’s representatives, who is also a parent, reminded us:
The internet cannot be a substitute for good parenting.
STAYING SAFE ONLINE
We are all aware of the dangers of the internet. How do we ensure our kids are safe when browsing?
- Create a separate account for your child on your computer with all the appropriate settings. Keep it on safe mode on Google, to ensure that no adult content pops into your child’s feed. If you have a phone that allows multiple users, set up a new user account for your child. On this account you can restrict the settings according to your child’s age. On YouTube go to the footnote, find Restricted Mode and put it on.
- For more details on how to do this, go to www.google.com/safetycenter
