The Effects of Sexting Among the Youth in Dagoretti North Constituency, Nairobi City County

Abstract

Technology has for the past decade reshaped the interactions and communication among youth. There has been an increase in reliance of technology among youth. Digital or online technology has been integrated by young people into their daily lives in complicated ways. They have used these media and new technologies to connect to each other, educate, communicate and map out a direction in their lives in a generational way. Sexting is one such phenomena that is core in eliciting debate around the lives of young people as they use technology to explore their online sexual practices and sexuality. This study therefore sought to investigate the effects of sexting among the youth in Dagoretti north constituency, Nairobi City County. The specific objectives were to: Find out whether youth engage in sexting in Dagoretti North Constituency, Nairobi City County. Investigate the communication channels that the youth use in sexting in Dagoretti North Constituency, Nairobi City County. Determine the impact of sexting of youth in Dagoretti North Constituency, Nairobi City County. The study used Communication Privacy Management (CPM) Theory and Technology Acceptance Model. Descriptive research design was used. Qualitative data was collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and presented in a narrative form. The findings of the study are that: sexting is prevalent among youth of Dagoretti North Constituency; youth are sexting using their smartphones mostly through WhatsApp application; WhatsApp was preferred because it was easy to use, accessible and popular with youth; sexting had spiced up the relationship of youth; sharing of sexts with third parties had led to embarrassment, humiliation and cyberbullying. The study concluded that sexting was prevalent among youth of ages between 18 to 24 years within Dagoretti North Constituency; the youth were sexting mostly using WhatsApp but also using Instagram and Facebook chat; the effects of sexting is both positive and negative. It is therefore recommended that more similar studies be conducted within other constituencies in Kenya to provide data for comparison and comprehensive understanding of effects of sexting among the youth.