Screen Time on Notice as KFCB Sounds Alarm Over Children’s Digital Exposure

As schools close and the April holidays begin, the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) has issued a pointed advisory, warning that the season of leisure could quietly morph into a period of unchecked digital exposure for children.

With more free time comes more screen time—a shift the board says risks exposing young minds to content capable of shaping behaviour, attitudes, and perceptions in troubling ways. In response, KFCB is calling for vigilance from both entertainment providers and parents, underscoring that safeguarding children is a shared responsibility.

At the heart of the directive is a firm caution to video show operators, gaming lounges, and film exhibitors: children must not be admitted to view content outside what is classified as General Exhibition (GE). The board’s message is clear—commercial interests must not override child protection standards.

But the warning does not stop at business premises. Inside homes, where screens are increasingly personal and portable, KFCB is urging parents and guardians to step up oversight. Setting firm screen-time limits, activating parental controls, and taking an active interest in what children watch are no longer optional—they are essential.

The board goes further, encouraging families to reclaim shared viewing as a tool for guidance. Watching together, it notes, creates space for conversation—turning passive consumption into moments of learning, reflection, and value-building.

Beyond restriction, KFCB advocates for direction. Children should be steered toward content that nurtures creativity, sharpens critical thinking, and reinforces positive values—programming that informs as much as it entertains.

The advisory also highlights a broader, often overlooked dimension of child safety during school breaks: awareness. Parents are urged to remain mindful not only of what their children consume, but also where they spend their time.

Central to this effort is KFCB’s Parents’ Digital Literacy Programme (PADIL), an initiative designed to equip guardians with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate an ever-evolving digital landscape. Through PADIL, the board aims to transform parental concern into informed action.

Ultimately, the message resonates beyond policy—it is a call for collective accountability. Regulators, businesses, and families alike must work in concert to ensure that, in a world of limitless content, childhood remains protected.