Meta announced Thursday the end of its collaboration with Kenyan company Sama, a key subcontractor responsible for tasks including Facebook content moderation and artificial intelligence-related work. This decision is expected to result in the layoff of 1,108 employees in Nairobi.
Between 2019 and 2023, Sama's mission was to filter violent, hateful, or illegal content on the platform, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The company then repositioned itself towards data annotation activities, essential for training artificial intelligence and machine learning models.
In a statement, Sama indicated that it had received official notification from Meta terminating a major project at its Kenyan offices. "The redundancy process will affect 1,108 employees," the company stated, adding that a significant portion of the eliminated positions were directly related to the discontinued project. Its Kenya director, Annepeace Alwala, affirmed that the company is "actively working" to support the affected employees.
Meta, for its part, justifies this termination by citing shortcomings in meeting required standards. A spokesperson for the group indicated that Sama "did not respect our standards," without providing further details.
This decision comes after several years of criticism regarding the working conditions of moderators employed by Sama. Former employees denounce abusive practices, including unjustified dismissals, irregular wages, and conditions amounting to forced labor. In 2023, nearly 200 former moderators filed a lawsuit in Kenya.
Attempts at mediation between the parties failed, paving the way for legal proceedings. In 2024, the Kenyan courts declared themselves competent to hear these complaints, a setback for Meta, which had previously contested local jurisdiction.
Furthermore, another case targets the American group for its alleged role in disseminating hateful content related to the conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia. Here again, Kenyan courts have agreed to investigate the case, increasing the legal pressure on Meta.
Despite the accusations, Sama defends its practices. The company claims to offer its employees "a decent wage, comprehensive benefits, and on-site psychological support." These statements, however, have done little to quell the criticism, as this breach of contract marks a turning point in the relationship between Meta and its African partners.
