Think a content moderator job is easy enough? Think again. As of June 2018, there are over 4 billion Internet users worldwide—that’s more than half of the globe’s total population. Out of those 4 billion, more or less 2 billion use popular sites like Facebook and YouTube.

Now, all those users can upload, download, view, and share content across a multitude of platforms. Despite the effort of website owners to streamline usage terms and conditions, not everyone really reads them, much less follow them. The World Wide Web is so vast and every user feels entitled to their freedom of expression. This is where the crucial role of a content moderator comes in.

What Does a Content Moderator Job Entail?

On paper, a content moderator job falls under the following categories:

  • Pre-moderation – Some websites review content submitted by users before publishing and making them visible to all. This review process is known as pre-moderating.
  • Post-moderation – In some online communities, content is instantly published after a user submits it. The newly published content will be queued for review. The content moderator reviews the content and decides whether to keep or remove it.
  • Reactive moderation – This type of content moderation relies on the community members’ reports. When a user flags a posted content, the moderator will be prompted to review it. We see this type of moderation in action on Facebook as an example, where users can report social media content that they deem abusive or inappropriate.

The responsibilities that come with online moderator jobs vary from organization to organization. Content appropriateness is subjective in a number of ways. This is why it’s important for website owners to find a content moderator that understands exactly what type of content suits their organization’s persona.

The Dark Side of Content Moderation

Owning and building a website requires more than just top-notch website design and development. It involves never-ending maintenance, a big part of which is content moderation.

Many of us think that content moderation is done with automation, that is when a specially programmed tool is used to disapprove and remove inappropriate content. But in reality, behind every website are human content moderators that spare us from viewing things that can change the way we see the world. Think adult content in sites intended for the general audience, fake news, and hate comments, to name a few. Not to mention gruesome videos and photos of tragic accidents and torture, even suicides and murders.

That content moderator job can be emotionally and mentally scarring is quite an understatement. However, as with any job, there’s always a person that can handle its responsibilities and pressures better than others.

Don’t Have the Stomach for Content Moderation? Outsourcing is the Way to Go

A content moderator job is not for the faint of heart. Depending on the site being moderated, the job could mean being exposed to content ranging from inappropriate to gory. Social media content moderation has actually been linked to burnout, psychological trauma, and PTSD. Although these make online moderator jobs sound bad, there are still remote workers that look for content moderator jobs from home. This is good news for business and website owners who want to effectively filter content that their users and community members create and upload.

Furthermore, content moderation isn’t all bad. Sometimes, the job simply requires making sure that users follow basic rules and regulations. Content moderators also keep online communities as friendly and wholesome as possible. All things considered, you can still find dedicated online content moderators who are willing to do the dirty job.

Now, if your in-house team cannot handle the seemingly toxic description of a content moderator job, managed outsourcing is the way to go. When you work with an outsourcing management company like HOPLA, you will have access to a pool of professional content moderators from all over the world. As a full-service distributed outsourcing company, HOPLA will take care of the recruitment and management for you. This means that you can make all these the least of your worries: effective content moderation, hiring, and remote management.

To learn more about how HOPLA can help you with your online and social media content moderation needs, get in touch with us today!