Meta appeals Kenyan Court ruling that calls it the “principal employer” of content moderators

A June 2 courtroom ruling discovered that Meta is the principal employer of 184 content moderators. While Meta appeals the ruling, Sama, its former content companion, is caught in the center.

Earlier this month, an Employment and Labour Relations Court dominated in favour of 184 moderators fired by Sama, Meta’s content reviewer in Kenya. The 184 moderators additionally informed the courtroom that when Meta moved its content moderation contract to a different agency referred to as Majorel, the social media large requested Majorel to not rent any moderator who had labored with Sama. The courtroom blocked the firing of the moderators and mandated Sama and Meta to increase their contracts till the last dedication of the go well with. 

Meta will now attraction the ruling. Part of its argument is that the moderators usually are not Meta’s workers. It can even argue that the courtroom’s demand that it lengthen the contracts of the 184 moderators quantities to the courtroom writing a brand new contract on its behalf. While Meta appeals, it stays to be seen what work Sama will present the moderators with.

Sama, which the courtroom described as an “agent for Meta,” informed TechCabal that the ruling was complicated. The content reviewer laid off the moderators in January 2023 after its contract with Meta had expired. Concerns over the disturbing content reviewers usually needed to watch prompted the firm to not search a renewal of the contract. The June ruling now means that regardless of having no current contract with Meta, it should hold the moderators employed. 

The firm informed TechCabal through e mail, “The recent ruling from June 2 is confusing and, in many cases, contradictory. Sama fully exited the content moderation business earlier this year and did not have work to give the moderators. We care deeply about the health and emotional well-being of our team. We invested in creating a working environment that supported our content moderators’ needs.”

The buck stops with Meta 

Sama’s place is easy. Without a contract to overview content for Meta, it has no work for the moderators. Instead, the courtroom ruling locations accountability on Meta’s shoulders as it decided that Meta is the “primary employer of the moderators. And because Meta moved the content moderation contract to another company, the Court “found that the job of content moderation is available” and that “the applicants will continue working upon the prevailing or better terms in the interim.”

While Meta appeals, it stays to be seen what work Sama will present the moderators with.