Key Social Norms Take-aways This study highlights that digital media can offer safer, more discreet avenues for young women in Kenya to access and share family planning (FP) information, especially where in-person discussions are constrained by stigma and gender norms. Social norms around gender significantly influence comfort levels in discussing FP online, with women preferring gender-homogeneous digital spaces. Trust in information is also shaped by norms, with healthcare providers seen as more credible than peers. The digital environment offers new opportunities to shift social norms by enabling anonymous engagement and supporting the diffusion of accurate FP information.
Objectives To explore how young women and their social networks in peri-urban Nairobi access FP information through digital media (e.g., WhatsApp, websites), and to understand the role of social norms in shaping these information-seeking behaviors and preferences.
Methods The study used qualitative methods, conducting 40 in-depth interviews via phone with young women aged 18–25, their partners, and key influencers. The interviews were analyzed thematically to better understand how women and their networks navigate digital media spaces to find and share FP information, and the norms and barriers experienced when accessing FP information through digital media.
Results Participants primarily accessed FP information through informal networks on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook, while identifying healthcare providers as the most trusted information sources. Digital media enabled private and stigma-free discussions on FP, particularly among women. Gender norms strongly influenced online interactions—women were more comfortable discussing FP with other women due to shared experiences, while men often felt discomfort or perceived it as a women’s issue. Despite high digital engagement, structural barriers such as internet affordability and digital literacy persisted, and misinformation remained a concern.
Conclusions Digital media provides a valuable alternative to traditional FP information channels, particularly amid COVID-19 disruptions. While it expands access, its success is mediated by entrenched gender and social norms that affect information credibility, sharing behavior, and comfort levels in discussion. Tailored strategies—especially those that promote safe, gender-sensitive, and credible digital spaces—can help shift social norms, reduce misinformation, and improve FP uptake among young people in similar contexts.