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Facebook moderaters

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  • 09-12-2019 11:22am
    #1
    PatrickSmithUS
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 263 ✭✭


    Is this the worst job in the world?


    I had the chance to do it a few years back, before moving away from Dublin and I'm glad I didn't now.


    Lots or reports of the trauma being experienced by moderators due to the footage they review and the work targets.



    Seems insane.


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    #2
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    It's not as glamorous as it looks on the surface. Know an elderly facebook moderator who had a meltdown because of the issue of very hard nosed forum members 2 years ago. Funnily enough I got a question the other day why I wanted to stay in the group, sent out to all members. I said that I was'nt paritcularly pushed. They kept me on as a member all the same :).

    Some very nasty mean spirited characters on facebook.


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    #3
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    A friend of mine does it and says it's not as bad as he thought it would be, but then he's only at it for less than a year.


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    #4
    Sonics2k
    Registered Users Posts: 8,239 ✭✭✭Sonics2k


    I worked with a lad who did this for Facebook, namely in the more disturbing pornography detection.

    Said it was absolutely crazy, felt himself disgusted with humanity.


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    #5
    Bigbagofcans
    Registered Users Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭Bigbagofcans


    Sadly these jobs need to be done. No way would I do this job - I couldn't handle the trauma.

    Interesting article about the secret lives of Facebook moderators in America:

    https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/25/18229714/cognizant-facebook-content-moderator-interviews-trauma-working-conditions-arizona


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    #6
    Berserker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,046 ✭✭✭Berserker


    What is the pay like?


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    #7
    PatrickSmithUS
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 263 ✭✭PatrickSmithUS


    Bigbagofcans wrote: »
    Sadly these jobs need to be done. No way would I do this job - I couldn't handle the trauma.

    Interesting article about the secret lives of Facebook moderators in America:

    https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/25/18229714/cognizant-facebook-content-moderator-interviews-trauma-working-conditions-arizona


    Yeah there's more and more of them and one in Ireland now that might grow with others from around the EU joining it.



    This is one of the news articles I saw https://www.injury-compensation.ie/news/facebook-moderator-claim-taken-against-social-media-giant/ bu there are even more. The moderator in question was featured in the Irish Times in March as well https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/facebook-s-dirty-work-in-ireland-i-had-to-watch-footage-of-a-person-being-beaten-to-death-1.3841743


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    #8
    B.A._Baracus
    Registered Users Posts: 11,179 ✭✭✭✭B.A._Baracus


    https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/25/18229714/cognizant-facebook-content-moderator-interviews-trauma-working-conditions-arizona

    Sounds like a horrible job. Can't take a piss without it being time it says.

    Not to derail or change the topic of this but what do people expect who take a job there? This world is a very dark place. We all tend to live in our bubble and stay positive but the reality is this world is messed up.

    I know not everone is a scumbag, but social media and the internet has given a window into how the average person is.


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    #9
    bnt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,961 ✭✭✭✭bnt


    I was contacted about this a few months ago, to do the screening for a country where I used to live years ago and can still understand the language. I won't mention the name of the country, but from the stories I heard while I was there, it might be more in need of such moderation than the average country. Easy nope from me. :eek:

    From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch’.

    — Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut



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    #10
    Bigbagofcans
    Registered Users Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭Bigbagofcans


    bnt wrote: »
    I was contacted about this a few months ago, to do the screening for a country where I used to live years ago and can still understand the language. I won't mention the name of the country, but from the stories I heard while I was there, it might be more in need of such moderation than the average country. Easy nope from me. :eek:

    I think I can guess what country it is.

    Anyone on here ever work a content moderator job?


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    #11
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,176 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    What a debased, shit-end of humanity. I'm reminded of Asimov's "All The Troubles Of The World". :(


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    #12
    Vic_08
    Registered Users Posts: 3,041 ✭✭✭Vic_08


    Bigbagofcans wrote: »
    Sadly these jobs need to be done.

    No they don't. Just shut down facebook once and for all, toxic dump does far more harm than good.


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    #13
    Lux23
    Registered Users Posts: 7,134 ✭✭✭Lux23


    Vic_08 wrote: »
    No they don't. Just shut down facebook once and for all, toxic dump does far more harm than good.

    Same could be said for any online platform.


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    #14
    PatrickSmithUS
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 263 ✭✭PatrickSmithUS


    jimgoose wrote: »
    What a debased, shit-end of humanity. I'm reminded of Asimov's "All The Troubles Of The World". :(


    yeah it's like an episode of Black Mirror.


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    #15
    PatrickSmithUS
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 263 ✭✭PatrickSmithUS


    $52m preliminary settlement agree in in the US.

    It gathers pace, not much of a dent in Zuckerberg's bank account but significant all the same.



    https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/12/21255870/facebook-content-moderator-settlement-scola-ptsd-mental-health


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    #16
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    ^^^ Facebook will pay $52 million in settlement with moderators who developed PTSD on the job
    Current and former moderators will all be paid a minimum of $1,000


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    #17
    mariaalice
    Registered Users Posts: 12,378 ✭✭✭✭mariaalice


    The porn always comes up but what about the how-to kill yourself, how to cut yourself , how to starve yourself, how to eat someone videos, human nature is very scary sometimes. I cant see how watching the above day in and day out would not have a profound effect on a person.


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    #18
    PatrickSmithUS
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 263 ✭✭PatrickSmithUS


    Dirty little dig from Facebook here. Stopping the publication of adverts on it's network seeking moderators that might have experience trauma.

    Not exactly freedom of speech and doesn't say much for their claims that they're doing everything by the book.


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    #19
    nibtrix
    Registered Users Posts: 1,305 ✭✭✭nibtrix


    It's a privately owned platform, why should freedom of speech apply? Shouldn't they be allowed to decide who advertises on their platform?

    I'm intrigued by this quote from that article
    "This significant rise [of PTSD] has been imputed by daily exposure of disturbing content, bestiality, drug abuse, animal cruelty, violence, and more which is shockingly enough, a crucial part of their job requirement."

    If you take a job as content moderator to review and remove reported postings on facebook, how can you be "shocked" when you are exposed to disturbing content? It's literally in the job description? (That's excluding those who take jobs as content moderators for copyright issues or similar content).

    Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't take on the job in a million years or for a million euro, but I don't get how people can accept a job when it's obvious they will be exposed to disturbing things, and then sue because of said exposure. Nobody is forcing them to take the jobs.


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    #20
    McGinniesta
    Registered Users Posts: 4,402 ✭✭✭McGinniesta


    Welcome to social media everyone.

    I love when you meet people and they tell you that they don't think about weird and messed up stuff and that they don't have any foibles, prejudices or biases and then when they get online they do this.


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    #21
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    nibtrix wrote: »
    It's a privately owned platform, why should freedom of speech apply? Shouldn't they be allowed to decide who advertises on their platform?

    I'm intrigued by this quote from that article
    "This significant rise [of PTSD] has been imputed by daily exposure of disturbing content, bestiality, drug abuse, animal cruelty, violence, and more which is shockingly enough, a crucial part of their job requirement."

    If you take a job as content moderator to review and remove reported postings on facebook, how can you be "shocked" when you are exposed to disturbing content? It's literally in the job description? (That's excluding those who take jobs as content moderators for copyright issues or similar content).

    Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't take on the job in a million years or for a million euro, but I don't get how people can accept a job when it's obvious they will be exposed to disturbing things, and then sue because of said exposure. Nobody is forcing them to take the jobs.

    Where is it in the job description that you will be required to watch videos of child abuse daily without support services?

    It's a damaging job. Anyone doing it or similar needs genuine support services and can't legitimately do it long term. They suffered trauma and were left to rock themselves in the corner.


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    #22
    PatrickSmithUS
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 263 ✭✭PatrickSmithUS


    Niner leprauchan wrote: »
    Where is it in the job description that you will be required to watch videos of child abuse daily without support services?

    It's a damaging job. Anyone doing it or similar needs genuine support services and can't legitimately do it long term. They suffered trauma and were left to rock themselves in the corner.


    The real issue is the lack of support that they've been given to deal with the trauma.



    I can't remember whether it's Facebook or YouTube that recently asked all moderators, new hires and existing contractors, to sign a disclaimer to say they were aware of the impact of the role and they also made a gesture like hiring untrained counselors that are never available to the staff.


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    #23
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    PatrickSmithUS wrote: »
    The real issue is the lack of support that they've been given to deal with the trauma.



    I can't remember whether it's Facebook or YouTube that recently asked all moderators, new hires and existing contractors, to sign a disclaimer to say they were aware of the impact of the role and they also made a gesture like hiring untrained counselors that are never available to the staff.

    exactly my point. Its all well and good going into a tough damaging job knowing whats out there (and I would argue an awful lot of people in this position wouldnt really understand just how bad it would be) but that doesnt mean you dont need support services to deal with it.


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