A Kenyan court will soon decide whether it has jurisdiction over a $2.3 billion lawsuit against Meta, filed by Abrham Mearag and others. They claim Facebook’s algorithms amplified hate speech, leading to real-world harm, including the murder of Abrham’s father during Ethiopia’s civil war. Despite repeated reports, Meta allegedly failed to remove dangerous posts. Since Facebook’s Ethiopian content moderators were based in Kenya, the plaintiffs argue Meta should be sued there. This case, one of three against Meta in Kenya, highlights the ethical concerns surrounding big tech’s responsibility and the treatment of low-paid content moderators in Africa.
Source: The Economist
