A significant legal battle between Meta Platforms Inc. and Kenyan content moderators has gained momentum after Kenyan courts repeatedly rejected the tech giant’s attempts to avoid local jurisdiction, setting the stage for what labour rights advocates describe as a watershed moment for digital workers’ rights.
The Nairobi Court of Appeal ruled in September 2024 that Meta could be sued in Kenya over the mass dismissal of content moderators, allowing the case involving 185 former Facebook content moderators to proceed to trial. The decision marks a decisive victory for workers seeking compensation and better working conditions from one of the world’s largest social media companies.
The lawsuit, spearheaded by former content moderator Daniel Motaung, alleges systematic exploitation of Kenyan workers who were paid approximately Ksh 283 ($2.20) per hour – a fraction of the Ksh 2,322-2,580 ($18-20) hourly wages received by their European and American counterparts performing identical work. The plaintiffs claim they were subjected to traumatic content including graphic violence and child abuse imagery without adequate psychological support, resulting in severe mental health consequences.
The Court of Appeal’s decision upheld earlier rulings from April 2023 and February 2023 that established Meta could face trial in Kenya over both moderator dismissals and alleged poor working conditions. Meta had consistently argued that Kenyan courts lacked jurisdiction since the company is US-based and that Sama, its local subcontractor, was the direct employer.
However, the courts determined that Meta’s substantial operations in Kenya, including revenue generation from millions of local users and direct control over moderators’ digital workspaces and performance standards, subjected the company to Kenyan labour laws. A watershed court ruling in June 2023 ordered Meta to provide “proper medical, psychiatric and psychological care” to affected workers
The case has expanded to include multiple legal challenges against Meta in Kenya. In April 2025, a Kenyan court ruled that Meta could also be sued over its alleged role in promoting content that contributed to ethnic violence in neighbouring Ethiopia, further establishing the precedent for holding international tech companies accountable under local laws.
The dispute has also resulted in practical implications for Meta’s operations, with a Kenyan court temporarily barring the company from engaging its new content moderation subcontractor Majorel in March 2023, pending resolution of additional cases filed by 43 content moderators over alleged illegal dismissals and blacklisting.
Amnesty International has described the case as landmark litigation that could reshape how multinational technology companies treat workers in the Global South. The moderators are seeking comprehensive remedies including fair wage compensation, mental health care provision, and formal declarations that their constitutional rights were violated.
Attempts at mediation between Meta and the Kenyan moderators failed in October 2023 , pushing the dispute toward full trial proceedings. The case’s outcome could have far-reaching implications for Meta’s global content moderation operations and establish important precedents for digital labour rights in emerging markets.
The next phase of hearings is expected to address the substantive claims, with potential ramifications extending beyond Kenya to other countries where tech companies employ content moderators under similar arrangements.
