In Kenya, 144 Facebook content moderators have filed a collective lawsuit against Meta and Samasource Kenya, the company providing content moderation services, claiming they caused severe psychological trauma.
The moderators argue that constant exposure to disturbing content such as murder, suicide, and child sexual abuse led to the development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
According to a report by a UK newspaper, the head of mental health services at Kenya National Hospital confirmed the severe psychological effects experienced by the moderators. The workers pointed out that, in addition to receiving lower wages compared to their American counterparts, they were required to deal with highly traumatic content. This situation reportedly led to consequences such as alcohol and drug addiction, relationship breakdowns, and security concerns.
The lawsuit is supported by a UK-based human rights organization. Its president, Martha Dark, stated, “The evidence is indisputable: managing Facebook is a dangerous job that causes lifelong PTSD for almost everyone who does it.”
This case has sparked a reevaluation of the methods tech companies use for content moderation and the impact this work has on their employees.
