Methodology Framework
All indicators, data sources, and calculations are publicly documented and independently reproducible.
The Digital Rights Risk Score (DRRS)
The Digital Rights Risk Score (DRRS) is a simple score from 0 to 100 that measures digital rights risk within each county. Higher scores mean greater exposure to surveillance, internet disruption, data privacy violations, and algorithmic harm.
How to read the score:
- 0–29: Low digital rights risk
- 30–49: Moderate digital rights risk
- 50–69: High digital rights risk
- 70–100: Critical digital rights risk
Score Components
CCTV Monitoring (25%)
Density of CCTV cameras per 10,000 population and count of known monitoring systems. Higher density indicates greater surveillance infrastructure.
Internet Disruptions (25%)
Hours of internet shutdown, throttling, or restriction documented in the past year. Higher hours indicate greater interference with online access.
Data Violations (20%)
Formal complaints filed with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner regarding mishandling of personal information. Higher numbers indicate greater privacy risks.
Digital Identity (10%)
Share of population enrolled in government digital ID systems (Huduma Namba, Maisha Namba). Higher enrollment means more biometric data in state databases.
Account Suspensions (20%)
How many accounts, pages, or posts social media platforms removed or restricted in Kenya. Based on transparency reports from Meta, Google, TikTok, and X.
Formula:
DRRS = (CCTV Monitoring x 0.25) + (Internet Disruptions x 0.25) + (Data Violations x 0.20) + (Digital Identity x 0.10) + (Account Suspensions x 0.20)
Each component is normalised to a 0–1 scale, then the weighted sum is multiplied by 100.
Data Sources
- Population: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census.
- Internet usage & mobile ownership: Communications Authority of Kenya / KNBS, 2023/24 Kenya Housing Survey (published August 2025). Internet usage ranges from 64.7% (Nairobi) to 9.1% (West Pokot).
- Birth registration: KNBS Vital Statistics Report 2023. Used as proxy for biometric/civil registration completeness per county. Ranges from 131.6% (Nairobi) to 12.2% (Wajir).
- CCTV Monitoring: Compiled from media reports, civil society monitoring (CIPESA, KICTANet, Amnesty Kenya, KHRC), and open-source intelligence on CCTV and surveillance deployments. County-level data are estimates derived from multiple proxy indicators.
- Internet Disruptions: Internet shutdown records from the Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet), OONI network measurement data, and Access Now #KeepItOn reports. County-level estimates incorporate documented events (June 2024 national shutdown, November 2024 Telegram block, localized disruptions).
- Data Violations: Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) - 9,061 total complaints as of March 2026. County distribution estimated from regional office presence (Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Machakos, Garissa, Nyeri) and population.
- Digital Identity: Huduma Namba/Maisha Namba enrollment statistics from the National Registration Bureau, cross-referenced with birth registration completeness from KNBS Vital Statistics 2023.
- Account Suspensions: Content moderation transparency reports from Meta, Google, TikTok, and X (Twitter), combined with Kenyan civil society monitoring and CA internet usage data.
Limitations
This platform relies on publicly reported data, which likely undercounts the true extent of surveillance deployment. Corporate transparency reports are voluntary and may omit Kenya-specific metrics. Internet shutdown data depends on user-submitted OONI measurements, which are sparse in rural areas. The scores represent a minimum baseline.