Kenya’s President Wades Into Meta Lawsuits
referring to Sama, the outsourcing company that directly employed the
Facebook content moderators. “They really bothered me. Now I can report to
you that we have changed the law, so nobody will take you to court again on
any matter.” Ruto said Sama had planned to relocate to Uganda “because many
of us were giving them trouble.”
The article discusses two lawsuits in Kenya that challenge the liability of
Big Tech companies, specifically Meta, for alleged abuses at an outsourcing
company, Sama, which was contracted to moderate content. The cases arise
from claims of human rights violations at a Nairobi facility where workers
were paid low wages to view distressing content. Despite being employed by
Sama, the lawsuits argue that Meta effectively controlled the work
environment and processes.
If successful, these lawsuits could set a precedent holding tech companies
accountable for misconduct at subcontracted sites, potentially enhancing
worker rights in Kenya’s burgeoning data labeling industry. However,
opponents fear this could deter foreign investment and job creation.
Kenya’s President William Ruto has intervened, suggesting legislative
changes to prevent future lawsuits against outsourcing companies. However,
the proposed bill would actually shield tech companies from being
implicated in such legal actions. Critics argue that this prioritizes
corporate interests over worker protections.
Despite Ruto’s efforts, the lawsuits are likely to proceed as they are
based on constitutional human rights claims rather than employment law
alone. The outcome could have significant political implications for Ruto,
who campaigned on economic transformation but faces challenges from court
cases affecting the outsourcing sector
time.com/7201516/kenya-president-meta-lawsuits/
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Mwendwa Kivuva
www.linkedin.com/in/mwendwa-kivuva