Influence of Social Media Content on Risky Sexual Behaviours of Undergraduate Students in Selected Universities in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

With social media platforms being easily accessible through phones, the youth all over the globe, including those of Kiambu County, are easily exposed to unregulated content. From this, the issues of problematic content exposure and exposure to unnecessary content, such as sexual advertising and marketing content, arise. This study seeks to evaluate the influence of social media content on risky sexual behaviours of undergraduate students in selected universities in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study utilised a descriptive research design. The target population was 110,500 undergraduate students in the eight public and private universities with main campuses domiciled in Kiambu County. The sample size for the study was 399 undergraduate students. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Data collected was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the help of the statistical package for social scientists, version 26.0. Descriptive statistics comprise frequencies and percentages, while inferential statistics use regression analysis. The study found a positive significant relationship between risky sexual behaviours and social media content. The study recommends that awareness campaigns on social media use and social media literacy programmes should be further enhanced. This will equip university students with critical skills in the responsible use of social media platforms. Students will also be equipped with skills to gauge different content on social media platforms and the way risky behaviours are advanced through social media platforms.