30 moderators from Ireland, Germany and Spain file a complaint against Facebook after suffering serious psychological problems. All were exposed to images of rare violence, without having received the necessary training to deal with it, they say. Some are as badly affected as soldiers returning from war.
It is the largest civil court case against Facebook in Europe. 30 moderators seek damages for psychological disorders caused by the moderation of content on this platform. They say they have not received any training to learn how to react to this violence on social networks. According to these workers, they also did not have access to psychological medical assistance.
The disorders mentioned are quite serious. Some have severe depression, others have anger management issues. Worse: several of them have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This disorder is especially recognized among soldiers returning from war or members of the security forces confronted with particularly violent scenes. These people then suffer from anxiety, depression, nightmares and flashbacks to the horror scenes to which they have been exposed. Some claimed to have attempted suicide, explains le Daily Mail.
The case was brought before the High Court in Dublin, Facebook’s European headquarters in Ireland. Among the complainants, we find both former staff members and workers still active in the company.
Facebook doesn’t
Unsurprisingly, Facebook does not seem to agree with the complaint filed. If the company confirms that moderation of certain content can be difficult, the company totally denies the lack of support. Moderators’ follow in-depth multi-week training program, spokesperson says […] and have access to comprehensive psychological support to ensure their well-being ‘. This assistance consists of ’24/7 on-site assistance with qualified practitioners’,’ on-call service ‘and’ access to private healthcare from the first day of care. employment’.
It must be said that this case may cost Facebook dearly if the moderators win. In 2020, the company had to pay nearly 43 million euros to former American workers in a similar case in California.
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