Story perspectives

Data Labelers Fight for Rights Amid Exploitation Crisis

3/13/2026

Summary

Story summary

Michael Geoffrey Asia, a former Kenyan data labeler, now leads the Data Labelers Association (DLA) and advocates for higher pay and mental health support for AI-trainer workers.
Asia spent hours annotating porn for AI and sexting as part of his job, a workload that led to insomnia and PTSD.
At a DLA event, speakers described exploitation of data labelers by multinational companies and highlighted widespread struggles in Kenya's data-labeling workforce.

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Story summary

Michael Geoffrey Asia, a former Kenyan data labeler, now leads the Data Labelers Association (DLA) and advocates for higher pay and mental health support for AI-trainer workers.
Asia spent hours annotating porn for AI and sexting as part of his job, a workload that led to insomnia and PTSD.
At a DLA event, speakers described exploitation of data labelers by multinational companies and highlighted widespread struggles in Kenya's data-labeling workforce.