Kenyan Court Rules Meta Can Be Sued Over Content Moderators’ Dismissal

In a landmark ruling, a Kenyan court has declared that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, can be sued within Kenya’s jurisdiction over the dismissal of dozens of content moderators, Reuters has reported.

These moderators, who were employed by Sama, a Kenyan-based firm contracted by Meta to moderate Facebook content, filed the lawsuit after losing their jobs. The moderators claim they were unfairly dismissed for attempting to organize a union.

The case, initiated last year, challenges Meta’s employment practices through its contractors, marking a significant legal development for global tech firms operating in East Africa. This ruling sets a precedent for holding multinational companies accountable for labor practices in the region and opens a new chapter in the ongoing discourse around the treatment of content moderators.