Legal Challenges Faced by Chaturbate
A former content moderator, known as Mr. Barber, has initiated a lawsuit against the adult live-streaming platform Chaturbate and its operator, Multi Media LLC. The legal action addresses claims of psychological harm resulting from exposure to extreme and violent content during his tenure at the company.
Graphic Content and Psychological Impact
The lawsuit reveals that Mr. Barber was regularly exposed to highly disturbing material, including child sexual abuse imagery, self-harm threats, suicidal content, and other non-consensual, obscene material designed to shock viewers. Barber’s role required him to monitor and manage the content to ensure compliance with legal standards and platform policies, aimed at preventing child exploitation and abusive material.
Inadequate Safeguards for Moderators
Despite the critical nature of their duties, the complaint alleges that Chaturbate did not implement adequate protective measures for moderators. Industry-standard practices such as grayscaling violent images, muting auto-playing videos, enforcing wellness breaks, or offering psychological support were reportedly absent. Mr. Barber claims this lack of support led him to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), characterized by nightmares, emotional detachment, and panic attacks.
Company’s Response and Legal Proceedings
While Multi Media LLC has not officially responded to the lawsuit as it has not been served with the complaint, a spokesperson from the company indicated that they take content moderation seriously and are committed to supporting their moderation team. The class-action lawsuit seeks compensation for Mr. Barber and aims to address similar grievances experienced by other moderators, with attorney Chris Hamner representing the class. The case brings to light significant concerns regarding the mental health and safety of employees in the digital content moderation sector.
