Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Content Moderation: Not For The Faint-Hearted

It's been a month since I was transferred to a new account at work. I am now working as a Content Moderator to one of the social networking and dating sites on the web.

So what does my job entails?

A Content Moderator keeps an eye on pictures being uploaded to the social networking site. We approve or reject pictures before it is visible to others. It is essential for us to have keen eyes when moderating. We should at all times be calibrated with the guidelines on how to rate the pictures and take action when needed. In short, we make sure that the pictures uploaded are appropriate and does not violate any of the guidelines.

Our group is a mixture of veterans and newbies to this kind of work. Prior to the transfer, we are given an idea of what to expect. It’s only a 3-day training and we basically look at pictures that are acceptable and not. However, the training is a bit of a shock to me and I believe to some of my co-workers as well who are newbies like me. Honestly, it is quite an easy job since all you have to do is to scan pictures, but mind you, this not for the faint-hearted.

The imagery that we see on a daily basis spans everything from child pornography, suicide, bestiality, voyeurism, sexual violence, animal abuse; from normal to gory pictures. Warning! If you are unfamiliar with the words I mentioned and you want to check the internet to get an idea of what it is just make sure that have a strong stomach.

At first, I find some of the pictures disturbing to the point that they haunt me during sleep. But recently, I am beginning to be desensitized with the images. According to the veterans, the pictures that we see are nothing compared to those that they see from their previous account. Ours are only still images while theirs are a combination of pictures and videos.

I have read an article of the possible psychological effects of being exposed to these kinds of pictures. It truly is an easy job and money. But, is it worth it if in the long run you’ll experience the adverse effects? For now, I don’t know. I am only thankful I still have a job.

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