Kenyan Tech Workers Call Out US Big Tech for 'Modern Slavery'

In a major move, 97 African tech workers were involved in AI training and content moderation for major US companies such as Meta And Open AI have addressed an open letter to President Biden. The letter, published on May 22, accuses these companies of “systematic abuse and exploitation” of African workers and calls for urgent intervention.

The letterfirst reported by Wired, was also cc'd to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai. It coincides with Kenyan President William Ruto's visit to the US to celebrate the 60th anniversary of US-Kenyan diplomatic ties and discuss trade, investment and technological innovation.

The workers claim that the practices of companies like Meta, OpenAI and data provider ScaleAI “amount to modern slavery.” They describe severe exploitation, including mentally and emotionally draining tasks such as monitoring disturbing content on social media and labeling data for AI models, often for less than $2 per hour. They also highlight the lack of adequate mental health care, which has left many workers struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The letter describes examples of union fraud in the digital sector. For example, when Facebook content moderators in Kenya tried to unionize, the entire workforce was fired. Meta then moved his moderation work to Ghana to avoid responsibility. A similar incident occurred when Kenyan workers labeled data for US AI startup ScaleAI. In March 2024, ScaleAI's outsourcing company, Remotasks, abruptly exited the African market, leaving employees unemployed and owing significant unpaid wages.

The letter also claims that US tech companies often consider themselves above Kenyan law and ignore court orders. Despite a court ruling ordering Meta to pay Facebook moderators their salaries, the company has continually ignored the order, leaving employees unpaid even a year later.

The employees claim that their contributions are essential to the usability of these platforms. Without their work, platforms like Facebook would spiral out of control, potentially causing companies like Meta to lose billions. Despite this, they are paid a fraction of what their American counterparts earn.

The letter describes a number of important requirements:

• Involvement and transparency: The workers are asking to be involved in any U.S.-Kenya trade negotiations and for the publication of drafts to enable meaningful engagement.
• Labor protection: They are pushing for robust provisions in trade agreements to prevent union breakdowns, enforce International Labor Organization standards and ensure sanctions for noncompliance by U.S. companies.
• Responsibility: They call for American Big Tech companies to be held accountable in American courts for labor and human rights abuses abroad.
• Respect for Kenyan sovereignty: They emphasize the need for US-Kenya trade agreements to respect the Kenyan Constitution and sovereignty.

The letter also highlights Kenya's role as a major technology hub, known as the 'Silicon Savannah', and the crucial contributions of Kenyan workers to the technology industry. It calls on President Biden to honor his commitment to labor rights and “worker-centered trade” and to ensure that the benefits of technological progress do not come at the expense of the health and well-being of workers.