Meta appeals Kenyan court's decision it can be sued in Kenya

Sama Resources

21/02/2023 12:04

NAIROBI, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Facebook parent company Meta
 META.O  has filed an appeal in Kenya challenging a ruling that
said the company could be sued in the East African country even
though it has no official presence there. 
    A Kenyan labour court earlier this month ruled that Meta
could be sued in the country after a former content moderator
filed a lawsuit alleging poor working conditions.
    In the appeal, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, the U.S. company
disputed the court's finding that Kenyan courts had jurisdiction
over Meta.
    Meta outsourced its content moderation work via Sama, a
U.S.-headquartered company with operations in Kenya. Sama said
last month it would no longer provide content moderation
services for Meta.
    The lawsuit was filed by former content moderator Daniel
Motaung on behalf of a group of former Sama employees.  
    It seeks financial compensation, an order that outsourced
moderators have the same healthcare and pay scale as Meta
employees, that unionisation rights be protected and an
independent human rights audit of the office.
 (Reporting by Humphrey Malalo Writing by Ayenat Mersie
Editing by Mark Potter)
 ((ayenat.mersie@thomsonreuters.com;))