Facebook is going to pay $52 million USD (about $73 million CAD) to its content moderators that developed PTSD and other mental health issues due to the job.
The settlement will go to 11,250 moderators. Each moderator, both current and former, is going to receive a minimum of $1,000 USD (about $1,405 CAD).
However, some moderators will be eligible for more compensation if they have been diagnosed with PTSD or other similar conditions. The Verge reports that lawyers on the case think that nearly half of the moderators are going to be eligible for extra money due to developing mental issues like depression and addiction.
“We are so pleased that Facebook worked with us to create an unprecedented program to help people performing work that was unimaginable even a few years ago. The harm that can be suffered from this work is real and severe,” a lawyer on the case told The Verge.
This is significant because Facebook has now acknowledged that content moderation can take a toll on its employees. In 2018, a former Facebook moderator sued the social media giant because she developed PTSD after being required to view dark images everyday as part of her job, including gruesome photos of rape, murder and suicide.
Source: The Verge
