A Kenyan court has ruled that Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, can face legal action in Kenya over the dismissal of content moderators. The moderators, previously employed by the contractor Sama, claim they were fired for attempting to unionize and were subsequently blacklisted from future employment with Majorel, another contractor.
This decision follows the collapse of out-of-court settlement talks last October and may set significant precedents for Meta’s global practices concerning content moderation, as the company collaborates with moderators worldwide to manage graphic content on its platform.
The Court of Appeal’s ruling affirmed a prior decision from a Kenyan labor court in April 2023, rejecting Meta’s appeal. The judges dismissed Meta’s arguments, stating, “the appellants’ appeals are devoid of merit,” and imposed costs on the company.In response to allegations of poor working conditions, Meta has asserted that it requires its partners to maintain high industry standards. Majorel declined to comment on ongoing litigation.
Mercy Mutemi, the lawyer representing the moderators, described the ruling as a critical moment for Big Tech companies, emphasizing the need to address human rights issues within their operations. Martha Dark, director of the British tech rights group Foxglove, expressed optimism about the case’s progression to court.
Philips Babatunde