A Kenyan High Court has ruled that Facebook’s parent company, Meta, can be sued in the country over its alleged role in spreading content that fuelled ethnic violence in neighbouring Ethiopia.
The decision, described as a landmark by legal experts, opens the door for international tech giants to be held accountable in African jurisdictions.
The case stems from the 2020–2022 civil war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, during which Facebook’s algorithm allegedly promoted hate speech and incitement to violence. Plaintiffs include the Katiba Institute and two Ethiopian researchers who claim Meta’s inaction and algorithms contributed to real-world harm.
One of the plaintiffs, Abrham Meareg, says his father, Professor Meareg Amare, was killed in 2021 after threats against him circulated on Facebook. Another, Fisseha Tekle, a researcher with Amnesty International, says he was targeted online for his human rights work.
Meta had attempted to block the case, arguing that Kenyan courts lacked jurisdiction because the company is not registered in the country. However, the High Court rejected that argument on Thursday.
“The court here has refused to shy away from determining an important global matter, recognising that homegrown issues must be addressed directly in our courts,” said Nora Mbagathi, executive director of the Katiba Institute.
The plaintiffs are seeking the creation of a restitution fund for victims of hate and violence, and demand that Meta reform its algorithm to prevent the spread of harmful content. Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This is the third lawsuit Meta is facing in Kenya. The tech giant is already embroiled in legal battles with content moderators contracted through a local firm, who allege poor working conditions and wrongful termination for attempting to unionise. Meta has insisted that it requires its partners to provide top-tier working standards.
Although Meta has said it has invested significantly in content moderation and taken steps to remove harmful material, the company recently announced cuts to its global fact-checking efforts and will now rely on user reports rather than proactively scanning for hate speech.
