Through the advent of technology and the vastness of the Internet, monitoring its traffic at present has become more challenging than it was in the past. And failing to observe everything the Internet has to offer can have serious repercussions: human trafficking, children exposed to violence, and inappropriate media made available to the general public. This is why for the past couple of years, there has been a rise in content moderation companies. As a matter of fact, there are more than 100,000 content moderators globally as of 2018.

Curious what these content moderators do every day? Hold on tight because it’s gonna be quite the ride.

Defining the Job

In its simplest definition, content moderation is the act of carefully monitoring a certain type of media following a set of guidelines. It involves determining whether a piece of social media content is appropriate to be consumed by the public. And while it can be argued that the monitoring can be done through automation, there is no better judge than the human mind which better understands context and judgment. In short, a content moderator is someone who filters countless content and decides whether or not it is suitable for everyone to see.

How gruesome can it get

A content moderator’s job is not fun and games. The world of content moderation has a notable drawback: it usually causes stress and anxiety to its workers. As a matter of fact, a former content moderator for Facebook sued the media giant for her job that caused her PTSD. According to the ex-employee, she and the other moderators had to endure disturbing videos and images of violent acts such as suicide and rape.

And this isn’t the sole case of content moderators suing content moderation companies reported. As a matter of fact, just a few weeks ago, another incident was announced of two additional former moderators who worked for Facebook also suffering from trauma and PTSD.

The Wall Street Journal called content moderation as “the worst job in technology” back in 2017.

Content Moderation Companies need to take care of their workers

Luckily, content moderation companies can do a big deal to improve the mental and physical wellness of their content moderators. The following are just some examples:

Use or improve AI for content moderation

Technology today is advanced enough to automate daily tasks. Why not take advantage of it for the benefit of everyone? One solid way content moderation companies can help their content moderators is through automating content moderation by using Artificial Intelligence. AI can be trained to filter out obvious inappropriate content before it human content moderators will have a look at it. Not only will this protect content moderators’ mental health, but it’ll also save some of their time.

Force them to go on vacation leave

Any living thing thrives if it is well taken cared of. Content moderators aren’t any different. By giving them additionally paid vacation leaves, better hourly rates, and more inclusive health insurances, this will not only prevent the moderators from burnout but will also reward them more for their stressful work.

Create an overall healthier work environment

As employers, content moderation companies have the duty to make sure their employees are always prioritized. Implementing a healthier work environment for its content moderators is a surefire way to make sure they don’t suffer consequences. One way to form a healthier environment is through improving the workspace itself. Creating spaces wherein employees can rest in couches or release stress in the form of punching bags can do a great deal for moderators’ sanity. Further, open your organization to the idea of acquiring a counselor whom your staff can turn to in critical times.

Content Moderation Done Right by HOPLA

Content moderation might seem to be an alarming job to have. But if content moderation companies know how to take care of its staff, the job doesn’t seem so detrimental.  Seems like a big leap of faith? Consider outsourcing it to a work from home company that offers content moderation services. In HOPLA, we promote a safe virtual work environment by keeping everyone in touch through managed outsourcing. Our remote staff’s peace of mind is always a top priority. We offer content moderation services while making sure everybody’s sanity is beyond okay.

Work with one of our best content moderators and experience the difference yourself today!