Psychological trauma in content moderators*

What is content moderation?

Content moderation is the process of reviewing and screening online content to detect illegal and inappropriate content shared online. Commercial content moderation primarily depends on the efforts of workers who continuously evaluate and assess online content, determining whether it complies with platform guidelines.

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The importance of content moderation

Content moderators play a crucial role in society by safeguarding the public from potentially harmful media such as child or adult abuse, explicit content, or graphic depictions of violent fatalities.

Psychology studies suggest that this type of content can have a negative impact on the mental health and overall well-being of individuals who are exposed to it.

While moderation work might be expected to be unpleasant, there is recognition now that repeated, prolonged exposure to traumatic content, without the necessary workplace supports, can significantly impact the psychological well-being of content moderators. This can lead to anxiety, depression, and, in some instances, even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

If you have suffered from psychological trauma as a result of viewing sensitive content, contact a member of our personal injury legal team today to find out if we can help you.

Employer responsibility

All employers have a duty of care for their employees and must ensure their safety and mental well-being. Risk assessments are essential in fulfilling this duty.

Employers are responsible for conducting thorough risk assessments with input from employees. These assessments should cover all work activities and consider the well-being of everyone in the workplace.

Firms and platforms could be liable if they don’t take adequate measures to protect workers from harmful content and provide psychological support.

Employer intervention

Repeated exposure to explicit content increases the risk of moderators developing various health and emotional issues, including anxiety, depression, stress-related disorders, heart problems, interpersonal conflicts, and substance misuse.

Without proper support and intervention, these challenges can lead to higher absenteeism, reduced quality of life, burnout, and overall job dissatisfaction.

1. Primary interventions: focus on preventing the onset of mental health symptoms or preparing individuals to handle adverse situations. They aim to prevent harm by reducing exposure, teaching coping skills, enhancing resilience, and fostering a supportive work environment.
2. Secondary interventions use psychological training to reduce negative symptoms after they occur, helping individuals return to stability. These interventions address risk factors after exposure, providing coping resources and ongoing support to build resilience.
3. Tertiary care is for severe cases, offering interventions after the manifestation of a full-fledged psychological disorder. It aims to assist individuals in distress through therapies and other forms of support. However, individuals with severe depression or anxiety may require external resources beyond what the workplace can provide.

Psychological health risks

If you are a content moderator and have experienced psychological harm resulting from your role, it’s worth exploring the possibility of pursuing a personal injury claim, as you may be eligible for compensation. Typical conditions associated with such claims include:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Panic disorder
• Burnout

What is PTSD?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a natural reaction to deeply shocking and disturbing experiences. It can be caused as a result of viewing sensitive content that can lead to symptoms like flashbacks and nightmares. PTSD can lead to feelings of guilt, hypervigilance, memory problems, emotional numbness, anger, shock, denial, recurrent nightmares, irritability, and intrusive thoughts. High levels of PTSD can hinder social connections and normal life.

Filing a claim for psychological trauma

Proving these claims can be challenging, as psychological injuries may not surface immediately, so it’s important to seek treatment and an official diagnosis before proceeding with a claim. These cases, particularly in determining causation, can be intricate.

Keep in mind that you have a two-year minus a day window to file a claim for your suffering following a traumatic experience.

If you have suffered PTSD at work, our personal injury solicitors can give you guidance on whether you’d be entitled to compensation. This could cover any suffering or trauma you’ve experienced, lost earnings, medical fees, and future expenses.

Visit Psychological Injury Claims | PTSD Compensation Claims (traceysolicitors.ie) for more information on filing Psychological Injury claims.

Safeguarding mental well-being

While content moderators play a crucial role in protecting the public from harmful media, we must also recognize the toll it can take on their mental well-being.

Employers have a responsibility to prioritise the mental well-being of their staff and fulfil their duty of care to all employees. They should ensure a healthy work environment and provide support to team members, especially those who may develop mental health issues as a result of the content they encounter.

Other common injuries may include:

 

• Dangerous Practices and Procedures at Work Claims*
• Health and Safety Breach Claims*

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What do I do if I have been injured at work?

If you have been psychologically impacted by your role as a content moderator, there are a number of steps you should follow:

1. Seek medical attention

   Before considering making a mental injury claim, it’s important that you have sought medical treatment and have been diagnosed with a medically recognised psychological illness/injury.

2. Report the incident

   It’s critical to discuss the situation with management, i.e. a supervisor. It doesn’t matter how small you think the incident may be. By law, incidents at work are required to be reported if the person is injured and can’t perform their daily work tasks for more than 3 days. Make sure to fill out an Incident Report Form. This can be used for reference in any medical examination and will also prevent any similar incidents from happening in the future.

3. Identify any witnesses

   If possible, try to collect the contact details of anybody that witnessed the incident. This may be of use if you do decide to pursue a claim. It is also useful to find out if there is any CCTV in the area where the incident happened.

4. Document the incident

   It is important that you collect all the relevant information in connection with your incident:

   • Details of what caused the psychological harm.
   • Records of communication with your employer notifying them of the issue.
   • Document all details of doctors and specialists you have attended in relation to the psychological harm caused.

5. Speak to a personal injury claims solicitor

   If you are considering moving forward with your claim for any harm sustained, it is advisable that you speak with a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible. If you are proceeding with a claim, the first step will be submitting your claim to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board for assessment. A personal injury solicitor can help you in preparing your application to the Injuries Board and ensure that you follow the process in the correct format, meaning that you can move forward with your personal injury claim quickly without unnecessary delays.

   It is important to remember to keep copies of any expenses that you have incurred as a result of the incident. It is also imperative to retain copies of medical reports or incident report forms where possible as you will need them when making a claim for compensation.

   Here at Tracey Solicitors LLP, we have a lot of experience in personal injury law. We have a team of personal injury lawyers that deal with personal injury and negligence claims. As a professional law firm, we want to ensure we achieve the best possible outcome for you.