Report states moderators encountering harassment at Meta’s new ‘secret site’
(MENAFN) Meta has relocated its African content moderation operations to a secretive new site in Accra, Ghana, following lawsuits in Kenya over alleged worker mistreatment, according to a joint investigation by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) and The Guardian. The report, published on Sunday, reveals that around 150 workers are employed under harsh conditions at the Accra facility, where they review disturbing content on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, including graphic violence and child abuse material.
The workers have reported severe mental health struggles, including depression, insomnia, and even suicide attempts, due to the immense pressure to meet unclear targets at a rapid pace, with little psychological support. Employees are reportedly prohibited from discussing their work with family members under the threat of dismissal or deportation, particularly those from conflict zones.
Meta's move to Ghana followed the closure of its content moderation hub in Kenya in early 2023 after its third-party contractor, Sama, stopped providing services. This decision came after several lawsuits in Kenya, where content moderators accused Meta and Sama of union-busting, unfair dismissals, and exposing workers to harmful content without proper mental health support.
The report also states that Meta began transferring operations to Ghana in early 2024, outsourcing content moderation to Teleperformance, a French multinational with a controversial labor rights record. Last year, Teleperformance acquired Majorel, which Meta had tried to use as a replacement for Sama in Kenya after the company's withdrawal.
Despite the troubling findings, Meta has not disclosed the name of the company managing its content moderation operations. This secrecy is seen as an effort to avoid accountability for the workers’ conditions. Foxglove, a legal non-profit assisting with lawsuits against Meta, announced it is preparing to sue the tech company and its subcontractors over exploitation of workers in Ghana.
Teleperformance, however, has denied the allegations, claiming it has a strong people management system and wellness program, including access to licensed psychologists to support its content moderators.
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