Google has revealed that search interests in private browsing have increased by 110% in
Kenya, 60% in Nigeria, and 30% in South Africa in the last five years. According to
Google’s statistics, Kenya has been ranked 15th in the world for the country that
searched most for private browsing in the last five years. Additionally, Kenya was
ranked first for the African country that searched most for the topic.
In an interview with journalists from the three countries, Google’s SSA Regional
Director, Nitin Gajria, stated that people are now more concerned about their online
privacy. This includes concerns about ad privacy and safety, which presents a clear
responsibility and opportunity for African advertisers to protect the privacy of
consumers.
Advertising spending in Kenya is projected to grow at a 7% compound annual growth
rate between 2018 and 2023, with annual growth rates slowing down from 8.3% to 5.9%
in the same period. In 2020, internet advertising revenue in Kenya stood at Sh3.4
trillion, and it is projected to reach Sh4.93 trillion by 2025.
Google has also stated that privacy experiences impact user trust and access to quality
information is important. The tech giant also stated that regulators across the world are
demanding a more private internet. To meet these demands, Google has launched the
my Google Ad Centre, which allows users to manage their information and customize
ads, as well as see what type of data Google has gathered on them.
Google is dedicated to supporting a positive advertising ecosystem aimed at keeping
users safe and having a trustworthy platform. The company has invested heavily in
systems to keep bad ads, sites, and bad actors away from Google platforms and also
work towards creating user education to protect users from all types of abuse. In 2021,
Google blocked 3.4 billion bad ads and suspended 5.6 million advertiser accounts
globally.
