8 hours Ago By News Ghana
News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://newsghana.com.gh/meta-confronts-lawsuit-in-ghana-amid-claims-of-harm-to-content-moderators/Meta is facing legal action in Ghana over allegations that content moderators employed by its subcontractor, Majorel, suffered severe psychological harm due to exposure to graphic material on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
The lawsuit, spearheaded by UK nonprofit Foxglove and Ghanaian firm Agency Seven Seven, accuses the tech giant of failing to protect workers tasked with reviewing violent and exploitative content, including depictions of murders, child sexual abuse, and beheadings.The case marks Meta’s second legal challenge in Africa, following a 2023 lawsuit in Kenya where moderators contracted through Samasource alleged similar mental health crises. In Ghana, workers at a Majorel facility in Accra owned by French multinational Teleperformance report conditions linked to depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
One moderator, whose contract was terminated after a suicide attempt, is central to a separate unfair dismissal claim.Moderators describe inadequate mental health support, with counseling reportedly provided by non-medical staff and personal disclosures shared among managers. Base wages start at 1,300 Ghanaian cedis (£64) monthly, supplemented by performance bonuses, though workers argue total compensation falls short of Accra’s living costs.
Teleperformance disputes this, stating total pay exceeds Ghana’s minimum wage by 10–16 times when including allowances.The moderators’ roles require assessing extreme content to enforce Meta’s community standards, a process they say is compounded by workplace surveillance and secrecy. Employees claim managers monitor breaks and forbid disclosing their affiliation with Meta, despite using the company’s systems.
Teleperformance defends its practices, citing “robust wellbeing programmes” and “upscale” housing with amenities like gyms and pools, though workers allege overcrowded living conditions.Ghana’s courts may now determine whether labor protections extend to psychological injuries, a precedent that could reshape accountability for tech firms outsourcing high-stress roles. Meta asserts its contractors meet industry standards for pay and support, while Foxglove argues the case exposes systemic exploitation of low-income workers critical to platform safety.
The outcome could influence global debates on corporate liability, particularly as social media giants rely increasingly on outsourced moderators in regions with weaker labor safeguards. Similar cases, including Kenya’s 2023 settlement with Meta, underscore mounting scrutiny of how tech companies manage the human toll of content moderation a role vital to their operations yet often shielded from public accountability. News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://newsghana.
com.gh/meta-confronts-lawsuit-in-ghana-amid-claims-of-harm-to-content-moderators/.
