Working as a Facebook content moderator is apparently so bad that one employee started bringing a gun to work
Working as a Facebook content moderator sounds like an absolutely nightmarish experience.
A new report from The Verge details the allegedly poor working conditions at Cognizant, a Facebook client where employees moderate content for the social media site. The job, which often involves dredging through videos depicting horrifying murders and other harmful content, has reportedly left workers experiencing anxiety attacks on the job and with secondary traumatic stress.
In addition, bosses at Cognizant reportedly "micromanage content moderators' every bathroom and prayer break," and workers describe long lines for the bathroom because "hundreds of employees share just one urinal and two stalls in the men's room," as well as an environment where "employees can be fired after making just a handful of errors a week." Two former employees of the Arizona company told The Verge they have experienced PTSD.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
On employee told The Verge that because people who are fired frequently threaten to come back and physically harm their colleagues, he has started bringing a gun to work. Bob Duncan, the head of Cognizant's North American content moderation, said this would have been in violation of company policy.
The Cognizant work experience is so terrible, employees also told The Verge, that they often "cope by telling dark jokes about committing suicide, then smoke weed during breaks to numb their emotions." Employees have also reportedly frequently been found having sex at work.
Sifting through conspiracy theory content is part of the job as well, and some employees expressed concern that this was actually leading workers to buy into the theories. "I no longer believe 9/11 was a terrorist attack,” said one moderator, while another reportedly came to believe the Holocaust was a hoax.
These staffers are reportedly paid about $28,000 per year, compared to the average Facebook employee's salary of $240,000. Read more at The Verge.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
When is an offensive social media post a crime?
The Explainer UK legal system walks a 'difficult tightrope' between defending free speech and prosecuting hate speech
By The Week UK Published
-
Women are getting their own baseball league again
In the Spotlight The league is on track to debut in 2026
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Giant TVs are becoming the next big retail commodity
Under the Radar Some manufacturers are introducing TVs over 8 feet long
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US economy still strong in final preelection report
Speed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strike
Speed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ports reopen after dockworkers halt strike
Speed Read The 36 ports that closed this week, from Maine to Texas, will start reopening today
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published