A human rights lobby has raised concerns over possibility of surveillance on activists and protesters, urging caution on privacy protection.
Defenders Coalition and digital safety experts have raised concerns over state agents access to personal data that indicate location, social interactions on phone communication, internet use, among other things that help police apprehend those they target.
Experts say protesters should not unnecessarily expose themselves to digital stalking and cyberbullying.
There have been concerns that telcos are giving out private phone data and location of those on the radar of security agencies, enabling them to know their residences and where to find them.
Defenders Coalition executive director Kamau Ngugi said that is how law enforcement actors have been able to tail key actors in the protests.
“The police is allegedly tracking down those who protested into Parliament one by one,” he said.
Ngugi was referring to the case of Denzel Omondi, the JKUAT student whose body was found floating at a Juja dam.
He was among the protesters who accessed Parliament and recorded himself on video.
A postmortem showed he suffered blunt force trauma at the back of his head.
Ngugi said it is crucial for protesters to observe their digital safety and ensure they do not fall into the trap that expose them to danger.
A past survey by the lobby shows hacking and scamming tops the list of means of breaching privacy.
Intelligence apparatus, telecommunications and Internet service providers have also been cited as possible pathways for accessing private information illegally.
Kariuki Nyonge, a data security expert, said protesters must be make deliberate provisions to protect themselves, and guard their privacy and safety.
Some of the measures for digital safety include creating strong passwords, keeping your data safe and avoiding sharing crucial details like places you frequent.
“It is true that government agencies can have access to your private details but you have to be responsible in keeping your digital footprint safe and discrete as much as possible,” Nyonge said.
“When you attend protests, please let others know and if you can, keep your locality live and take photos. This will enable people follow track of your actions and where you are to be safe,” he said.
