Remotasks Website Goes Offline in Kenya, Sends Email to Workers Announcing Intention to Cease Operations

Remotasks, the online working platform where users earn by taking up tasks such as copywriting, media labelling and AI model training, is down in Kenya. 

This came amid reports it is ceasing local operations.

The platform has in recent years been popular among young unemployed Kenyans seeking remote working opportunities and those in low-paying jobs or pursuing part-time gigs.

Users are paid in US dollars through online payment platforms like PayPal.

But from Tuesday, attempts to access the Remotasks website were met with an error message saying “Sorry, you have been blocked. You are unable to access remotasks.com.”

Some Remotasks account holders on social media reported receiving emails last week informing them the platform is no longer accessible in the region.

“We are reaching out with an important announcement regarding Remotasks operations in your location. We are discontinuing operations in your current location effective March 8, 2024,” the email reads per several screenshots shared online.

“As part of this change, you have been off-boarded from your current project. You will receive payments associated with your work completed via the payment account set up on your profile.”

We are trying to get a comment from the company.

Other reports said Remotasks was asked to provide data of Kenyans working on its platform.

This was against the company’s policy on data protection.

Then there was a push for the company to directly pay Withholding Tax on each member on the platform direct to the government which impacted on the operations.