Sama, the Nairobi-based outsourcing firm contracted by Meta, has laid off more than 1,000 workers after the social media company terminated their contract, the company said.
Meta paused work with Sama last month following allegations that some Kenyan annotators were asked to view private footage recorded by the company’s Ray‑Ban smart glasses, the company said, a move that prompted Sama’s contract to end.
The Oversight Lab said affected employees received six days' notice and that it is advising them on legal options. After an earlier round of layoffs in 2024, a civil lawsuit alleged "severe PTSD, depression and anxiety among 140 workers" who had reviewed traumatic online content.
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Meta said: "Photos and videos are private to users," and added: "Humans review AI content to improve product performance, for which we get clear user consent. We’ve also decided to end our work with Sama because they don’t meet our standards." Sama said in a statement: "We recognise the impact this has on our team and are supporting affected employees with care and respect."
Advocates described the dismissals as devastating. The Oversight Lab said: "The time has come for us to recognise that our current strategies are harming our youth, hurting our economy and in no way advance Kenya’s participation in the AI ecosystem." Former Sama worker Kauna Malgwi said: "This issue is not confined to one company or contract. It shows how the global AI industry is shaped."
The recap
- Sama laid off more than 1,000 Kenyan workers.
- Workers received six days' notice after contract ended.
- Meta paused work over smart‑glasses content allegations.
