The Kenyan High Court has approved a lawsuit against Meta, alleging its platform incited ethnic violence during the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia. Plaintiffs claim Facebook’s algorithms amplified harmful content, leading to violence, and seek $2.4 billion for victims along with algorithm reforms. Meta denies the allegations, emphasizing its investments in safety. This ruling emphasizes the growing accountability demanded from tech companies.
In a significant move, the Kenyan High Court has permitted a lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of Facebook, regarding its alleged role in inciting ethnic violence during the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia. This case aims to address serious accusations of hate speech and the promotion of violent content on the platform, marking an important step towards accountability for technology companies regarding hosted content.
The plaintiffs, comprising two Ethiopian nationals and the Katiba Institute, assert that Facebook’s algorithms exacerbated harmful content, which contributed to violence from 2020 to 2022. One claimant, Abrham Meareg, tragically lost his father, a respected professor, after violent threats were shared on Facebook alongside his personal information. The other claimant, Fisseha Tekle, a former researcher for Amnesty International, endured online harassment due to his reporting on the conflict. The plaintiffs seek a restitution fund of $2.4 billion for victims and urge reforms to the algorithms used by Facebook to curb hate speech.
In response, Meta has refuted these allegations, stating it has made substantial investments in safety protocols and content moderation. The company contends that local courts lack jurisdiction for cases involving it when not registered in the respective jurisdiction. Nonetheless, the court’s ruling signals an increasing demand for tech companies to be held accountable and to recognize their ethical responsibilities in managing harmful content on a global scale. “This ruling offers hope that marginalized groups can access justice no matter where they are in the world,” emphasized Mandi Mudarikwa from Amnesty International. “The idea of looking at countries outside the US and Europe as mere markets where profits can be made in the absence of accountability must be challenged.”
The Kenyan High Court’s ruling allows for a lawsuit against Meta, highlighting the pressing issue of accountability for social media platforms in their role during conflicts. The case, driven by Ethiopian nationals seeking justice for violence exacerbated by Facebook’s content algorithms, underscores the necessity for reforms in how tech companies manage and regulate harmful content. This landmark decision reflects a critical stance against treating global markets as unaccountable landscapes for profit.
Original Source: northafricapost.com
