Facebook Moderators Resorting to Drugs, Alcohol to Cope With Stress of Clearing Content
A report by The Verge has highlighted how content reviewers for Facebook are having to deal with various mental problems because of repeatedly viewing graphic and offensive material.
What's worse, the content moderation job is outsourced to third-party companies, like Cognizant, where moderators are paid a pittance compared to full-time Facebook employees.
According to former and current moderators quoted by the report, many develop serious mental ailments, like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and begin to believe in conspiracy theories.
To cope with their problems, they reportedly resort to drugs and alcohol on the job. One man apparently even claimed that he started bringing a gun to work for protection from former vengeful employees.
In its bid to address concerns, Facebook has released a statement, saying: "We are committed to working with our partners to demand a high level of support for their employees; that’s our responsibility and we take it seriously".