In May of 2020 , with the COVID-19 pandemic full underway , Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerbergannouncedthat the company would allow most of its employees to preserve working from home until at least the end of the yr in an effort to “ contain the gap of Covid-19 so we can keep our community safe and get back up and running again soon . ”
But that same sumptuousness was apparently not extended to the thousands - strong fleet of contract bridge workers Facebook employs to moderate harmful content on the platform , and on Wednesday , 200 of those workers sent anopen letterto top executives at the fellowship objecting to the way they ’ve been treated .
handle to Zuckerberg and Facebook chief operating ship’s officer Sheryl Sandberg , as well as the CEOs of outsourcing companies Accenture and Covalen , the letter incriminate Facebook of compromising the health and condom of its declarer and their loved one in orderliness “ to maintain Facebook ’s winnings during the pandemic . ”
Photo: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / Contributor (Getty Images)
“ After months of allowing content moderator to do work from menage , faced with vivid pressure sensation to keep Facebook devoid of hate and disinformation , you have forced us back to the role , ” the letter register . “ moderator who secure a doctors ’ note about a personal COVID danger have been pardon from attending in person . Moderators with vulnerable relatives , who might die were they to contract COVID from us , have not . ”
As it is , there have already been COVID outbreaks in several ofFacebook ’s offices , with doer in Ireland , Germany , Poland and the United States try out positive for the computer virus .
And fit in to the letter - writer , the threat of infection comes on top of an already psychologically punish work load — one that led Facebook to give out some $ 52 million to US - based contractors last bounce for hurt they put up on the job :
Before the pandemic , contentedness relief was easily Facebook ’s most brutal business . We wad through violence and nipper abuse for hour on end . moderator work out on minor abuse cognitive content had targets increased during the pandemic , with no extra support .
Now , on top of work that is psychologically toxic , hold onto the line means take the air into a red-hot zone . In several offices , multiple COVID cases have occurred on the flooring . Workers have asked Facebook leadership , and the leaders of your outsourcing firms like Accenture and CPL , to take urgent stair to protect us and value our body of work . You refused . We are publish this varsity letter because we are leave behind with no choice .
Along with the power to work from home , the alphabetic character ’s signatories also list a number of other demands , admit an pick to encounter chance wage and a call to end outsourcing and work the content moderator in - house so that they can get healthcare and other benefit .
The letter prompted a response from Facebook , with the company immediate to argue that the bulk of the 15,000 content commentator it employs have uphold to work from plate during the pandemic and reiterating that it does make “ well - being resource ” usable to its workers .
“ While we believe in having an exposed intimate dialogue , these discussions need to be honest , ” Facebook spokesperson Toby Partlett tell the New York Times in a instruction . “ Facebook has exceeded health guidance on keeping facilities secure for any in - office employment . ”
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