A group of 29 former Meta moderators in Spain report psychological damage from exposure to violent content.

A group of 29 former content moderators for Facebook and Instagram filed a complaint against CCC Barcelona Digital Services, a company subcontracted by Meta, for alleged psychological damage resulting from their constant exposure to violent material.

The complaint was filed with Barcelona's Investigative Court No. 29, where similar incidents are already being investigated.

A group of 29 former content moderators for Facebook and Instagram filed a complaint against CCC Barcelona Digital Services, a company subcontracted by Meta, for alleged psychological damage resulting from their constant exposure to violent material.

The plaintiffs worked between 2018 and 2022 at CCC's headquarters in Barcelona, ​​where, according to their complaint, they reviewed hundreds of high-impact images and videos daily, including murders, rapes, torture, child pornography, and suicides.

In the legal document, the workers describe the working conditions as "absolutely inhumane" and explain that the pace of work was "unbearable for any human being."

According to the complaint, employees were exposed to significant psychosocial risks, both due to the content they viewed and the lack of preventive measures.

The complaint also alleges that the company failed to adequately inform the employee about the nature of the work prior to hiring , nor did it implement effective psychological protection protocols.

The former moderators report that they were given only five minutes of visual rest per hour, which could not be accumulated, and that they had to remain seated for 55 minutes without being able to get up . During this time, they had to watch disturbing content uninterruptedly. They also note that their daily workload began with 100 pieces of content per day and gradually increased to 800.

Furthermore, they accuse the company of prioritizing productivity over staff well-being. The complaint emphasizes that they were increasingly required to perform without providing adequate psychological support or emotional recovery spaces.

Among the consequences of the job, former moderators list pathologies such as anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, nightmares, dizziness, vomiting, irritability, feelings of guilt, and even thoughts of death.

These symptoms, according to the document, are a direct consequence of repeated and constant exposure to the material they were supposed to review.

Although the workers were formally employed by CCC Barcelona Digital Services, the complaint alleges that Meta exercised effective control over the work activity. They argue that it was the parent company that organized and directed the work according to its own production needs, and therefore, in practice, acted as the actual employer.

The legal defense, led by attorney Francesc Feliu, requests that this complaint be added to the proceedings already opened by the same court, given that the incidents involve similar events and against the same company.

Before resorting to criminal proceedings, each of the 29 former employees filed complaints with the Labor Inspectorate. They reported the working conditions, the lack of adequate rest, the type of content viewed, and the company's lack of protective measures.

*This content was rewritten with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on information from EFE, and reviewed by the journalist and an editor.