Activist Mange Kimambi has filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging that the social media conglomerate caved to pressure from Tanzania's government, leading to the removal of her accounts. Kimambi, an influencer with over 10 million followers based in Santa Monica, California, claims her Instagram and Facebook accounts were scrubbed after she used them to expose alleged killings and mobilize protests following Tanzania's disputed presidential election last year.
The lawsuit, filed in San Mateo County Superior Court, asserts that Meta prioritized its business interests in Tanzania over human rights and freedom of expression. Kimambi alleges that after she published images and videos of post-election violence, Tanzania's attorney general publicly threatened her arrest and sought her extradition. As a U.S. citizen, she was beyond the Tanzanian government's direct reach, leading them to allegedly turn to Meta.
Kimambi's attorneys contend that Meta silenced her by shutting down her accounts worldwide, a move they claim the government could not achieve independently. The activist, known as "sister of the nation" in Tanzania, had been a vocal critic of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who secured nearly 98% of the vote in an election where leading opponents were reportedly barred from running. The election results reportedly triggered protests and a security crackdown.
According to the lawsuit, Meta disabled Kimambi's WhatsApp account in November, followed by her Instagram and Facebook accounts. Meta had previously stated that Kimambi's accounts were removed for violating its "recidivism policy," which prohibits users from re-creating accounts after they have been removed for violating community standards. However, the lawsuit points to a Meta transparency report indicating that Tanzanian regulators had requested restrictions on three Instagram accounts for content described as "calls for peaceful protests" and criticism of the government. The report also noted that the risk of non-compliance included Meta's platforms being blocked in Tanzania.
Kimambi claims she paid for Meta Verified in an attempt to secure customer support but received no assistance when her accounts were erased. The suit accuses Meta of false advertising, fraudulent, and unfair business practices. Kimambi is not seeking monetary damages but is asking Meta to disclose instances where foreign government pressure influences its content enforcement decisions and to identify the governments involved.
Tanzanian authorities have accused Kimambi of inciting deadly protests and charged her with money laundering, allegations she dismisses as politically motivated. In December, Kimambi reportedly appealed to former President Donald Trump, calling Meta's actions a "grave injustice" and urging him to pressure the company to reinstate her accounts. She also asked for congressional action to provide activists with legal recourse against social media companies that remove accounts without transparency or due process.
U.S. Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in January, stating that a foreign government appeared to have "successfully intimidated a US citizen and compelled an American corporation to suppress her protected speech." He urged Meta to resist becoming an "enforcement arm of foreign authoritarian governments."
Meta reportedly restored Kimambi's WhatsApp account in January, but her Instagram accounts remain disabled. Her Facebook account status was not specified in the lawsuit.