The Influence of Online Discourse Tone on Public Perception of the Affordable Housing Program (AHP)

Abstract

This study examines how the tone of online discourse influences public perception of Kenya’s Affordable Housing Program (AHP) within rapidly expanding social media ecosystems. Drawing on Framing Theory and Social Influence Theory, the research investigates how emotionally charged and socially reinforced narratives shape citizen attitudes toward public policy. The study utilized a quantitative descriptive-correlational design, based on data collected among 362 social media users in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru counties. Exposure to AHP-related material, perceived tone of discourse, and the way the people were perceived were measured using structured questionnaires and analysed using SPSS. Results indicate that online discussion about the AHP is mostly neutral to moderately negative in nature, and is characterized by skepticism, criticism, and mixed framing. The people's attitudes towards the program also indicate conservative, two-sided views. Inferential statistics, such as ANOVA, demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between discourse tone and attitudes toward the show (p < 0.001), indicating that the more positive or balanced the discourse, the more positive the attitude toward the show. The findings highlight the potent nature of social media in not only reflecting but also actively shaping people's opinions through framing and peer influence processes. The success of policy implementation is not only related to implementation outcomes but also to the tone and format of online communication. It suggests that policymakers should be able to employ proactive communication strategies, engage with online stories, and take action on misinformation to increase the level of trust and legitimacy of the policy among the people.