By Martin Coulter and Hakan Ersen
LONDON (Reuters) – A social media content moderator in Germany has been put on paid leave pending an internal investigation by his employer TELUS International, the union Verdi said, after he publicly called on lawmakers to improve industry working conditions in Germany.
A director at the nonprofit Foxglove, which has helped organise a content moderators’ campaign over their work conditions, described the move as “outrageous bullying”.
Cengiz Haksöz, a moderator at outsourcer TELUS International, appeared before the Bundestag’s Digital Council last week, where he told lawmakers his work screening social media platforms for harmful material left him “mentally and emotionally drained”.
TELUS International is one of a number of well-known outsource providers of content-moderation services for Facebook, among others.
As part of his testimony, Haksöz delivered a petition to German lawmakers, signed by more than 300 content moderators, calling for a new set of legal protections for those in the industry, including improved access to mental health services, a ban on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), and improved pay and benefits.
A TELUS spokesperson previously told Reuters: “The allegations made by Cengiz Haksöz in the media and before the German Bundestag do not accurately reflect the reality of our business, our global operations or the comprehensive care and support we provide to our frontline team members.”
Following his appearance, trade union Verdi said Haksöz had been placed on a paid leave of absence pending an internal investigation.
Reuters approached Haksöz and TELUS for further comment, but did not immediately receive any reply.
Christoph Schmitz, an organiser at Verdi, said that TELUS had violated Haksöz’s civil rights and that the union planned to take legal action against the firm.
“TELUS’s actions are not only illegal but also show a disregard for democracy,” Schmitz said.
Meta and other social media companies have faced criticism over the working conditions of content moderators who aim to keep their platforms free from harmful material. In 2020, the firm paid a $52 million settlement to American content moderators suffering long-term mental health issues.
Martha Dark, a director at the nonprofit Foxglove, said: “This is outrageous bullying by a social media giant.
“Cengiz was invited to testify to the German parliament about the dangerous working conditions on social media’s factory floor. He had every right to do so.”
(Reporting by Martin Coulter and Hakan Ersen; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
