In recent years, American
tech companies have increasingly come under fire for exploiting Africa’s labour
force and natural resources, which is called “digital colonialism” by some critics.

According to American Scholar Michael Kwet, “digital colonialism” is the use of
digital technology for political, economic and social domination of another
nation or territory.

Facebook’s parent company, Meta, and other tech giants
like Apple and OpenAI, are facing accusations of unfair labor practices,
environmental degradation, and human rights violations across the continent.

Meta, in particular, has faced intense
scrutiny over its outsourcing practices. Thousands of content moderators
employed in centres in the Philippines and Kenya have reported dire working
conditions.

Despite the crucial role they play in keeping platforms safe, these
workers endure long hours, low wages, and severe psychological trauma from
exposure to disturbing content. The plight of these moderators has led to
several lawsuits against Meta, including in Kenya, where the issue of
exploitation has been brought to the forefront.

In 2023, Daniel Motaung, a former
content moderator at Meta’s Nairobi centre, along with 184 of his colleagues,
filed a lawsuit in Kenya Employment and Labor Relations Court against Meta and
its largest outsourcing partner in Africa, Sama, for exploiting labour in Kenya,
including forced labour, poor treatment, suspected connivance of sexual assault,
and prohibition of employees from forming unions. 

On September 20th, the Nairobi Court of
Appeal made a landmark ruling in favour of 185 former Facebook content
moderators who were illegally terminated by Meta. The court’s decision stated
that the case should be heard in Kenya, despite Meta’s insistence that it
should be handled in the United States due to the company’s registration and
terms of service.

This ruling is a significant victory for the 185 content
moderators and the tech-justice organization Foxglove, who have been fighting
for justice and accountability from Meta. It sets a precedent for other content
moderators in Kenya and around the world who may face similar working
conditions and treatment from social media companies. 

The issue of exploitation extends beyond
labour to Africa’s rich natural resources. This April, lawyers representing the
government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) accused Apple, the
US-based global tech giant of relying on 3T minerals (tin, tungsten, and
tantalum) plundered from the troubled vast central African country.

The report
titled Blood Minerals: The Laundering of DRC’s 3T Minerals by Rwanda and
Private Entities later released by the lawyers details how minerals
illegally extracted from the DRC are funnelled through neighbouring countries and
into the supply chains of Western tech giants, implicating these companies in
the exploitation and suffering of the Congolese people.

On September 20, the same day the new
iPhone16 launched, protesters flocked to Apple stores around the world to call
on the company to comply with human rights and stop profiting from genocide. 

The protests demanded that the company stop
sourcing cobalt used in phones from the DRC. Many of the protesters, who
gathered in around 12 different cities, pointed out that mines in the DRC are
notorious for dangerous conditions, child labour and poor wages. 

Critics argue that this new wave of
colonialism mirrors the exploitation of the past, where Western powers
extracted resources from Africa, leaving behind poverty and conflict. Today,
tech companies are accused of extracting data, labour, and minerals, while
contributing little to the sustainable development of local economies.

The economic
partnerships are often unequal, with African nations receiving little benefit
from the wealth generated by their resources and labour. 

The growing backlash against these
practices has sparked calls for greater accountability and fair treatment of
African workers and communities. The Kenyan and Congolese cases are just the
beginning of a broader movement to reclaim Africa’s digital future from the
grip of exploitative foreign corporations. 

The African governments should renegotiate
terms with foreign tech companies, demanding them to adhere to ethical labour
practices and environmental standards. There is also a push for local tech
ecosystems to be developed, allowing African countries to build their digital
infrastructure and innovate independently rather than relying on foreign
entities.

Author: Maria Mariam 
Email: mariamwritingpro@gmail.com
Bio:

I am a full-time freelance copywriter with
over 7 years of experience crafting engaging content for various blogs both
locally and abroad. My work spans across niches I’m passionate about, including
tech news, celebrity gossip, and politics. While I’m not a journalist by trade,
my writing is driven by a deep passion for educating, provoking thought, and
entertaining readers.