Digital Colonialism: American 'big tech' gains bloody profits in Africa #AD

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.