--:-- Sean Rameswaram: Welcome to Today, Explained. I'm Sean Rameswaram.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: Today, we're talking about Facebook moderators, the people who watch the worst of the internet so you don't have to. They're paid just a fraction of what the average Facebook employee makes. Casey Newton, a reporter for The Verge, got a rare glimpse inside "the Trauma Floor." Casey, welcome to the show.
--:-- Casey Newton: Thanks for having me, Sean.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: So, let's start with the basics. What is a Facebook moderator, and what do they do?
--:-- Casey Newton: A Facebook moderator is someone who works for a company like Cognizant, which is a contractor for Facebook, and their job is to review content on Facebook to make sure it meets Facebook's community standards.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what kind of content are we talking about?
--:-- Casey Newton: We're talking about the worst of the internet. Suicides, decapitations, drone attacks... all sorts of disturbing and graphic content.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And how do they review this content?
--:-- Casey Newton: They use a custom piece of software called the Single Review Tool, which allows them to review content in a controlled environment.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what's the pay like for these moderators?
--:-- Casey Newton: They're paid $15 an hour, which comes out to an annual salary of $28,800 a year. That's a fraction of what the average Facebook employee makes.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what's the work environment like for these moderators?
--:-- Casey Newton: It's a high-pressure environment. They're held to a very high standard of accuracy, and if they make a mistake, they can get warnings from their boss or even be fired.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what about the physical environment? What's it like to work in a facility like Cognizant?
--:-- Casey Newton: It's a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the facility is colorful and has a lot of amenities. On the other hand, it's a very controlled environment, and the moderators are micromanaged down to the second.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what about the people who work there? What's it like to be a Facebook moderator?
--:-- Casey Newton: It's a tough job. The moderators I spoke to said they feel like they're making a valuable contribution to the world, but they're also struggling with the emotional toll of the job.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what about the company's response to these concerns? Have they taken any steps to address them?
--:-- Casey Newton: Facebook did invite me to the facility to meet with the moderators and answer my questions. But when I asked them about the pay and working conditions, they didn't really address those concerns.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what about the future of this work? Do you think it's possible to automate this kind of content moderation?
--:-- Casey Newton: Yes, I do think it's possible to automate some of this work. But the question is, what happens to the people who are doing this work now?
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what about the value we place on this kind of work? Do we value the people who are doing this work as much as we value the people who are doing other kinds of work?
--:-- Casey Newton: I think we need to rethink the way we value this kind of work. We need to recognize that it's a society-level task that requires a lot of skill and emotional labor.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what about the tech companies themselves? What can they do to address these concerns?
--:-- Casey Newton: I think they need to take a more holistic approach to this work. They need to recognize that the people who are doing this work are not just temporary contractors, but are actually making a valuable contribution to the world.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And what about the future of this work? Do you think it's possible to create a better system for content moderation?
--:-- Casey Newton: Yes, I do think it's possible to create a better system. But it's going to require a lot of work and a lot of change.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: Casey Newton, thanks for joining us today.
--:-- Casey Newton: Thanks, Sean.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And to our listeners, thanks for tuning in. If you want to learn more about the story, you can check out Casey's piece on The Verge.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And if you want to hire talent for your business, LinkedIn Jobs makes it easy to get matched with quality candidates who make the most sense for your role.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: LinkedIn Jobs uses knowledge of hard skills, but also soft skills to match you with the people who fit your role best.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And as a listener to Today, Explained, you can get $50 off your first job post on LinkedIn Jobs. Just go to linkedin.com/explained.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: Thanks again to LinkedIn for supporting the show today.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And that's it for today's show. Thanks for tuning in.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: If you want to support the show, you can subscribe to our Patreon or make a one-time donation.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And if you have any questions or comments, you can email us at [email address].
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: Thanks again for listening.
--:-- Sean Rameswaram: And we'll see you tomorrow.
