Current:Home > StocksKenyan Facebook moderators accuse Meta of not negotiating sincerely-InfoLens
Kenyan Facebook moderators accuse Meta of not negotiating sincerely
View Date:2024-12-23 19:50:54
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The lawyer representing 184 former Facebook content moderators based in Kenya who sued the site’s parent company, Meta, over working conditions and pay told the judge Monday that Meta has not been sincere in trying to reach an out-of-court settlement as agreed in the last court session.
Lawyer Mercy Mutemi said the talks had collapsed and the former moderators want to proceed with a contempt of court case against Meta.
“The petitioners gave it their best effort. They attended every mediation. The respondents asked for information which we gave them. They kept saying they would get back to us by a certain date but only got back to us at the end of last week with a very small amount that cannot even take care of the petitioners’ mental health,” she told the court. She described Meta as “not genuine.”
The moderators were employed via Sama, a San Francisco subcontractor that describes itself as an ethical AI company, to work in its hub in the capital, Nairobi. Their job entailed screening user content in 12 African languages and removing any uploads deemed to breach Facebook’s community standards and terms of service.
Some of the petitioners have told The Associated Press that their job required them to watch horrific content for eight hours a day that overwhelmed many of them while being paid 60,000 Kenyan shillings, or $414 a month. They accused Sama of doing little to ensure post-traumatic professional counseling was offered. They are seeking $1.6 billion in compensation.
Meta and Sama lawyers told the court they thought the mediation was making good progress, with long hours involved, until the moderators’ lawyer wrote to them in protest.
Justice Nduma Nderi said the failed talks were a “missed opportunity” to find a balance between the parties involved as opposed to the court issuing an order.
The parties will now appear at a hearing on Oct. 31 on the moderators’ application to find Meta and Sama in contempt of court.
The lawsuit is the first known court challenge of its kind against Facebook outside the United States. In 2020, Facebook agreed to pay $52 million to U.S. content moderators who filed a class action lawsuit after they were repeatedly exposed to beheadings, child and sexual abuse, animal cruelty, terrorism and other disturbing content.
Facebook and Sama have defended their employment practices.
veryGood! (7)
Related
- Could trad wives, influencers have sparked the red wave among female voters?
- 'We will not be able to come': Hurricane Milton forces first responders to hunker down
- Youngest NFL coaches 2024: Mike Macdonald replaces Sean McVay atop list
- North Carolina governor signs Hurricane Helene relief bill
- Federal judge orders Oakland airport to stop using ‘San Francisco’ in name amid lawsuit
- Rafael Nadal Tearfully Announces His Retirement From Tennis
- Ali Wong Tries to Set Up Hoda Kotb and Eric André on Date
- Opinion: Duke's Jon Scheyer faces unique pressure with top prospect Cooper Flagg on team
- 'Devastation is absolutely heartbreaking' from Southern California wildfire
- Erik Menendez's Attorney Speaks Out on Ryan Murphy's Monsters Show
Ranking
- See Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly, Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess' Blended Family Photos
- Hurricane Milton disrupts Yom Kippur plans for Jews in Florida
- NTSB report says student pilot, instructor and 2 passengers killed in Sept. 8 plane crash in Vermont
- Taylor Swift Donates $5 Million to Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene Victims
- California researchers discover mysterious, gelatinous new sea slug
- How to help people affected by Hurricane Milton
- WNBA Finals: USA TODAY staff predictions for Liberty vs. Lynx
- 'Golden Bachelorette' judges male strip contest. Who got a rose and who left in Ep. 4?
Recommendation
-
Rōki Sasaki is coming to MLB: Dodgers the favorite to sign Japanese ace for cheap?
-
Five (and Soon, Maybe Six) of the Country’s 10 Largest Coal Plants Have Retirement Dates
-
US jobless claims jump to 258,000, the most in more than a year. Analysts point to Hurricane Helene
-
Francisco Lindor’s grand slam sends Mets into NLCS with 4-1 win over Phillies in Game 4 of NLDS
-
Police cruiser strikes and kills a bicyclist pulling a trailer in Vermont
-
This Garment Steamer Is Like a Magic Wand for Your Wardrobe and It’s Only $24 During Amazon Prime Day
-
Ali Wong Tries to Set Up Hoda Kotb and Eric André on Date
-
Kate Spade Outlet’s Sale Includes Muppets Crossbodies, Shimmery Bags & More Starting at $23