Kenya’s largest online content moderation platform, Meta, is under fire for the third time since its launch in 2018. According to reports, the company is facing yet another lawsuit from disgruntled moderators who allege that they have been illegally fired and blacklisted.
The lawsuit was brought forward by a group of former moderators who worked on the platform. In their claim, they allege that Meta wrongfully removed them from their roles and subsequently blacklisted them from applying for comparable positions at other companies.
The moderators allege that they were given no warning or explanation for the termination and were told merely to leave the premises after their shifts were over. They also claim to have been asked to sign a release waiving any rights they had to seek legal action against the company.
This is the third lawsuit Meta has faced in Kenya. Its first lawsuit was launched by former employees who claimed that the company had unjustly fired them with no reason or prior notice and that the conditions at the workplace were “inhumane”. The employees alleged that safety and health measures were ignored and that their wages were not paid in full.
The second lawsuit was brought forward by a former moderator who alleged that she and her co-workers had not been given proper training, exposing them to mental and psychological hazards as they had no protection from controversial content.
Meta has yet to comment on the accusations. However, a former employee told journalists that the company is facing multiple issues both within the workplace and in its relationship with its employees. The former employee also noted that the company does not offer any form of job security and often changes staff without prior notice.
The lawsuit could be a major setback for Meta, as the company is already facing financial difficulties and is yet to achieve profitability. Nonetheless, with the fast pace of technological development in Kenya, Meta could be a key player in content moderation in the country.
The lawsuit is yet to be heard in court, but it is certain that it will be closely watched by experts in the industry. It will also be seen as a test to the Kenyan labor laws, which are still in the early stages of development. Regardless, workers’ rights activists have welcomed the lawsuit, expressing hope that it will lead to an improvement in the working conditions of content moderators in the country.
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