1,100 Kenyan workers face lay off as Meta ends contract with Sama

After years of criticism and lawsuits, Meta is ending a major contract with the Kenyan outsourcing company Sama. The move will see more than 1,100 people lose their jobs, Sama said in a statement.

The US tech giant hired Sama in 2019 to remove harmful, violent or hateful content from Facebook in sub-Saharan Africa.

Both firms have come under fire for poor working conditions and lay-offs.

In 2023, almost 200 moderators sacked by Sama sued for unfair dismissal. They also alleged that workers in Kenya were subjected to inhumane conditions, including forced labour and irregular pay.

Another complaint was filed in 2022 by one of Sama’s former South African employees.

Workers say that exposure to endless streams of violent images has damaged their mental health. They’ve also asked for compensation for wages they say are inadequate, given the risks to which they were exposed.

Sama denied allegations of poor working conditions, saying employees receive a living wage and full benefits, as well as professional counselling.

In a statement, Meta said it was ending the contract because Sama didn’t meet its standards. It said its work would now involve Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Models.