Investigating Distressing Work Conditions for Meta Content Moderators in Ghana
A Fresh Look at Meta's Labor Practices in Africa
Investigators examine distressing work environment faced by Meta content moderators in Ghana
In the bustling city of Accra, legal experts are delving into the grueling workplace conditions faced by Meta content moderators, potentially signaling another dispute over the social media giant's labor practices on the continent.
Content moderators, especially in Ghana, have been grappling with a demanding work environment for years as they grappled with scrubbing posts containing everything from child abuse to murders across platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
However, attorneys from Accra-based Agency Seven Seven and London-based Foxglove are examining accusations that moderators have been forced to view distressing—and often bloody—content, such as sexual assaults, without adequate mental healthcare support, as well as reports of workers being let go for advocating for unionization.
Potential Psychological Harm
"What we're dealing with here is potential psychological injury," said Carla Olympio, founder and managing partner at Agency Seven Seven, who has met with workers in recent weeks. "Everyone is struggling with their mental health—whether it's post-traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, depression, suicidal thoughts, and more," Foxglove founder Martha Dark told AFP. "The situation is quite dire."
The investigation follows a series of labor-related lawsuits filed over the years concerning conditions at Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta's now-defunct content moderating hub in Nairobi, Kenya. Much like the hub in Ghana, this center was managed by a third-party contractor, not Meta itself.
Another lawsuit in Kenya alleges that Facebook's algorithm exacerbated hate speech in neighboring Ethiopia, with devastating consequences. Despite the closure of the Nairobi hub in 2023, the lawsuits are still pending.
Uncovering the Ghanaian Content Moderation Center
The lawyers estimate that approximately 150 content moderators work in Ghana's capital for Majorel, a firm owned by Teleperformance, a tech contractor headquartered in Paris. One moderator in Accra shared his harrowing experiences with the Guardian, explaining how his work as a content moderator pushed him to the brink of suicide.
Employer-provided housing requires workers to share rooms, and workers complain about inadequate base pay and an unclear salary structure that encourages moderators to review an excessive amount of content for bonuses, according to Dark.
Neither Teleperformance nor Meta responded to AFP's request for comment. A Teleperformance spokesperson told the Guardian that the company offers robust people management systems and workplace practices, as well as a comprehensive wellness program staffed by fully licensed psychologists.
Seeking Safer Ways to Combat Online Harms
Foxglove believes there is a way for content moderators to carry out their duties without compromising their mental wellbeing, citing limits in Ireland on the amount of child abuse content investigators are exposed to, as well as the availability of proper psychiatric care.
AFP works together with Meta providing fact-checking services in multiple regions worldwide.
Enrichment Data Highlights:
- Work Pressure and Mental Health: Mental health challenges, including depression, insomnia, and substance abuse, are common due to high stress and workload.
- Housing Issues: Employer-provided housing frequently requires workers to share rooms, leading to unsuitable living conditions.
- Bonus Pay: Bonuses are awarded based on the volume of content moderated, increasing the pressure on workers to perform.
- Inadequate Mental Health Support: Workers express dissatisfaction with mental health support programs, despite claims by Teleperformance of robust support.
- Unionization Concerns: Workers have reported facing consequences for advocating for unionization, similar to allegations in Kenya.
- The investigation into distressing work conditions for Meta content moderators in Ghana is seriously scrutinizing the mental health support provided to these individuals, as attorneys found that moderators have been forced to view disturbing content without adequate care.
- Despite claims by Teleperformance of robust people management systems and workplace practices, a content moderator in Accra shared his harrowing experiences with the Guardian, noting unsuitable living conditions in employer-provided housing and inadequate base pay, along with an unclear salary structure that encourages moderators to review excessive amounts of content for bonuses.
- In light of these concerns, Foxglove is advocating for safer ways to combat online harms, citing limits in Ireland on the amount of child abuse content investigators are exposed to, as well as the availability of proper psychiatric care.
- This push for better working conditions and mental health support for content moderators extends beyond Ghana, with labor-related lawsuits concerning conditions at Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta's content moderating hub in Nairobi, Kenya, still pending.
- As the investigation continues, there has been a call to embrace science and technology in enhancing workplace-wellness and mental-health programs, ensuring that content moderators can perform their crucial jobs without compromising their health and wellness.
