By Ricardo Lezama 06 de febrero de 2023
La Cartita
Daniel Motaung is suing Facebook owner Meta and his former employer Sama in a Kenyan court after claiming that reviewing graphic social media posts caused him to develop mental health issues.
Motaung reported that he suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to the content he viewed and witnessed other workers crying after viewing the same content.
Meta argued that the court had no jurisdiction, but the court disagreed and found that both Meta and Sama were “proper parties” to the case. The case is supported by a legal campaign group, Foxglove, and is expected to send a message to big tech companies that Kenyan justice is equal to any tech giant.
Mr. Motaung claims he was paid about $2.20 per hour to review posts including beheadings and child abuse and suffers flashbacks from the videos he saw. Sama has denied his accusations, saying it provided its workforce with a competitive wage, benefits, and mental health and wellness support.
Meta refused to give a direct response concerning the legal action; however, they have stated that they expect their partners to offer the best wages, benefits, and support in the industry.
The court ruling could also have significance for other cases concerning Facebook’s algorithm and the spread of hate and violence.
Meta has said that it invests heavily in moderation and tech to remove such content.