Kenyan journalists are among 11 countries listed by Facebook whose personal Facebook accounts can be verified.
Kenya is the only country selected in the Eastern and Central parts of the continent.
Other countries include Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria.
Any journalist who is running for political office, working as a campaign staffer for a political candidate, or who is a government employee is not eligible to register as a journalist on Facebook.
According to Facebook, any journalist or freelance contributor working in an editorial capacity for a news organisation that is registered as a news Page on Facebook is encouraged to register as a journalist on Facebook using their personal Facebook account.
The registered journalists will receive stronger security features that further protect their Facebook and Instagram accounts and may be eligible for other benefits, such as Blue Badge verification.
The journalist registration is also currently available to journalists located in the US, Canada, UK, Sweden, Germany, France, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, India, the Philippines (English accounts only), Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and Ecuador.
The registration is voluntary, and journalists must opt-in to receive each program benefit.
“To register as a journalist, you must be able to verify your affiliation with a news organisation that is registered as a news Page on Facebook. You can do this by submitting five bylined news articles in which you are the author or contributor, submitting a link to your biography on a news organization's staff directory page, or by providing a professional email address.” Facebook communications manager for East Africa Janet Kemboi said on Tuesday.
