Kenya’s largest online forum ‘Group Kenya’ brought down by Facebook (Details)

They say you will never understand the gravity of something until it hits closer home. Breaking news is that Kenya´s biggest online forum ´Group Kenya´ has officially been deleted by Facebook.

A Facebook group that housed well over 2.1 million members across the country and saw it top as the biggest online forum in Africa, but one that raised mixed reactions among the Kenyan netizens since its inception.

For some, this was home away from home, a place they felt they belonged, a place they were able to openly express their opinions, unchallenged.

Topics ranging from politics, to individuals´ love lives, to religion, to job searches, to what´s trending…you name it! was all discussed on this digital page.

However, for a section, the online forum was but divisive of the Kenyan population, a place where tribalism, hateful ethnic talk and unhealthy conversations would go on.

Fortunately or unfortunately, American social media conglomerate corporation, Facebook this morning, June 16, brought down the forum and it is not in my place to rule whether this was a smart or failed move.

Underlying reasons

Reasons why it was brought down remain unknown but previously, a section of Kenyans had expressed grievances that this page was nothing short of contravening to Facebook´s community standards.

Talk of content that touches on explicit sexual material, to violent and graphic visuals, to adult nudity and even hate speech…anything that infringed on common rights of individuals was considered a no.

The social networking site has the rights to pull down a page´s post that in any way defy its community standards and is similarly welcoming of any reports regarding the same from the public and this is exactly what happened this morning.

´Group Kenya´ founder, Timoth Sem who is a Migori resident is reportedly putting together efforts to try and have the group reinstated.

One of the forum´s administrators formed a different group with the same name and announced the major loss to its members, promising to work to address the issue.

Interestingly, it is reported that soon after a new group was formed under ´Group Kenya´ this morning, well over 50k members had already joined the group, one hour after its inception.

Another major known Facebook forum in Kenya is the controversial Kilimani Mums and Dads Uncensored (Original) with a staggering 936k members.

Online uproar

Soon after the news went viral on social media, Kenyans took to Twitter to express mixed reactions, some hailing the move, others condemning the loss of ´freedom of expression´ by the American social media giant.