“Those people were taken to court, and they had real trouble,” Ruto said, referring to Sama, the outsourcing company that directly employed the Facebook content moderators. “They really bothered me. Now I can report to you that we have changed the law, so nobody will take you to court again on any matter.” Ruto said Sama had planned to relocate to Uganda “because many of us were giving them trouble.” The article discusses two lawsuits in Kenya that challenge the liability of Big Tech companies, specifically Meta, for alleged abuses at an outsourcing company, Sama, which was contracted to moderate content. The cases arise from claims of human rights violations at a Nairobi facility where workers were paid low wages to view distressing content. Despite being employed by Sama, the lawsuits argue that Meta effectively controlled the work environment and processes. If successful, these lawsuits could set a precedent holding tech companies accountable for misconduct at subcontracted sites, potentially enhancing worker rights in Kenya's burgeoning data labeling industry. However, opponents fear this could deter foreign investment and job creation. Kenya's President William Ruto has intervened, suggesting legislative changes to prevent future lawsuits against outsourcing companies. However, the proposed bill would actually shield tech companies from being implicated in such legal actions. Critics argue that this prioritizes corporate interests over worker protections. Despite Ruto's efforts, the lawsuits are likely to proceed as they are based on constitutional human rights claims rather than employment law alone. The outcome could have significant political implications for Ruto, who campaigned on economic transformation but faces challenges from court cases affecting the outsourcing sector https://time.com/7201516/kenya-president-meta-lawsuits/ Best Regards ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwendwa-kivuva