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Meta terminates contract with Sama amid worker allegations
Meta abruptly ended its partnership with AI training provider Sama in April, just weeks after Kenyan employees revealed they had reviewed explicit content captured by Meta's smart glasses. The move has left over 1,100 workers facing redundancy.
Workers describe disturbing content
In February, employees at Sama told Swedish outlets Svenska Dagbladet and Göteborgs-Posten they had been exposed to graphic footage while annotating videos from Meta's Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses. One worker reported seeing users in bathrooms and intimate settings, including a case where a woman was filmed undressing without consent.
Meta acknowledged that subcontracted staff occasionally reviewed shared content to improve AI performance, a practice it called industry-standard. However, the company insisted such reviews required explicit user consent.
Dispute over contract termination
Meta attributed the contract's cancellation to Sama's failure to meet its standards, a claim Sama vehemently denied. In a statement, Sama asserted it had consistently met operational and quality benchmarks and had never been notified of any deficiencies.
"Sama has consistently met the operational, security and quality standards required across our client engagements, including with Meta. At no point were we notified of any failure to meet those standards."
Sama statement
Kenyan labor advocates allege the termination was retaliation for workers speaking out. Naftali Wambalo of the Africa Tech Workers Movement, involved in ongoing litigation against Meta, told the BBC the company's standards were about "secrecy," not quality.
Regulators launch investigations
The revelations triggered probes by data protection authorities in the UK and Kenya. The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) described the reports as "concerning" and sought clarification from Meta. Kenya's Data Protection Commissioner also opened an inquiry into potential privacy violations.
Meta paused its collaboration with Sama in March to investigate the allegations. A spokesperson emphasized that user photos and videos remain private, with human reviews limited to AI training and requiring consent. The company has not addressed claims that the contract was terminated to silence workers.
Smart glasses spark broader concerns
Meta's AI-powered glasses, launched in September 2025, offer features like real-time translation and object recognition, benefiting visually impaired users. Yet their growing popularity has raised misuse fears, including non-consensual recordings in Kenya.
The devices include a recording indicator light, but critics argue this is insufficient to prevent abuse. Workers interviewed by Swedish media said they also reviewed AI interaction transcripts to assess accuracy, exposing them to sensitive content.
History of content moderation controversies
This is not the first time Sama's work for Meta has drawn criticism. A prior contract to moderate Facebook content led to lawsuits from former employees who described exposure to traumatic material. Sama later expressed regret for accepting the role.
Mercy Mutemi, a lawyer representing Kenyan workers and director of the Oversight Lab, warned the government against relying on Meta for AI industry growth. "This is a very flimsy foundation to build your entire industry on," she said.
What's next
Meta has not responded to allegations that the contract termination was linked to worker disclosures. The company's terms of service previously noted that human reviews of shared content were possible. Meanwhile, Sama's redundancies take effect as regulators continue their scrutiny.
