News Summary

More than 140 Facebook content moderators in Kenya have been diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression due to their exposure to graphic social media content while working for Meta’s outsourcing partner, Samasource Kenya. The lawsuit against Meta and Samasource highlights the detrimental mental health effects experienced by moderators tasked with reviewing distressing content such as murders, suicides, and child abuse. Many of these moderators were found to have developed PTSD even a year after leaving their roles. The case, filed in Nairobi, also accuses the companies of unfair employment practices and human trafficking. Despite Meta’s claims of providing adequate support and compensation, the lawsuit paints a grim picture of the working conditions faced by these moderators, who were paid significantly less than their counterparts in the US.