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Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until January 01, 2026

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Communication for Child Protection in the Digital Era: Influencing Social Media Users to Advocate Against Child Trafficking in Kenya

Odhiambo, Aggrey Willis Otieno
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4189-455X
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1636564933644373

Abstract Details

2021, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Mass Communication (Communication).
Despite high adoption rates of new communication technologies in Kenya, the role of emerging technologies in the Kenyan child trafficking market and the influence of online anti-child trafficking activists in combating child trafficking remain under-researched. In this study, I have used digital ethnographic approaches that included virtual interviews, online participant observation, and social media analytics to realize five main findings. First, emerging media technology has been used by criminals to traffic children, whereas it also provides opportunities to online activists to combat child trafficking. Second, there are different types of online claims-makers actively advocating against child trafficking. Third, the claims-makers framed the exploitation and risky situations that victims of child trafficking go through as sexual exploitation, organ harvesting, infant trafficking, child marriage, organized begging, terrorism, organized crime, and child labor. Fourth, the claims-makers used the 5P framework to diagnose and offer a prognosis of the child trafficking situation. Finally, the claims-makers were able to influence diverse sentiments among their target audience. This study has practical and theoretical recommendations for researching and designing social and behavior change interventions against child trafficking and other social challenges.
Stephen Howard, Prof. (Committee Chair)
Thomas Smucker, Dr. (Committee Member)
Jatin Srivastava, Dr. (Committee Member)
Laeeq Khan, Dr. (Committee Member)
247 p.
African Studies; Behavioral Sciences; Communication; Mass Communications; Mass Media; Social Research; Sociology; Sub Saharan Africa Studies
Digital ethnography; child trafficking; social media analytics; Korogocho; Kenya; Communication for Protective Behavior (C-ProBe); emerging media technology; human trafficking; Trafficking in Persons; Social and Behavior Change Communication; Darkweb; Cryptocurrencies; Communication for Social Change; child abuse; child rights

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Odhiambo, A. W. O. (2021). Communication for Child Protection in the Digital Era: Influencing Social Media Users to Advocate Against Child Trafficking in Kenya [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1636564933644373

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Odhiambo, Aggrey. Communication for Child Protection in the Digital Era: Influencing Social Media Users to Advocate Against Child Trafficking in Kenya. 2021. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1636564933644373.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Odhiambo, Aggrey. "Communication for Child Protection in the Digital Era: Influencing Social Media Users to Advocate Against Child Trafficking in Kenya." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1636564933644373

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1636564933644373
© 2021, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.