Sama, a Nairobi-based AI outsourcing firm, laid off more than 1,000 Kenyan workers with six days notice after Meta terminated its contract

More than 1,000 Kenyan workers employed by Sama, a Nairobi-based outsourcing firm that handled AI training and content moderation work for Meta, were abruptly laid off with just six days notice after Meta terminated the contract. The termination follows Meta's decision last month to pause its work with Sama after allegations that workers were asked to view private footage captured by Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, including users filming themselves in bathrooms and during sexual activity. A 2024 civil lawsuit alleged severe PTSD, depression, and anxiety among 140 former Sama content moderators who worked on Meta contracts, and the Oversight Lab, which advocates for fair technology regulation in Africa, said it is advising the newly laid off workers on their legal options.