A former content material moderator for TikTok is suing the social media big and its guardian firm, ByteDance, for reportedly failing to take measures to guard her psychological well being after she watched numerous hours of traumatic movies involving cannibalism, rapes, animal mutilation, and suicides, amongst quite a few different disturbing actions.

In the proposed class motion lawsuit, Candie Frazier, who labored for a third-party contracting firm, acknowledged that TikTok moderators work at a grueling tempo and are obligated to evaluate a whole lot of movies per day with few breaks, according to Bloomberg. Moderators work 12-hour shifts, Frazier defined, and solely get one hour off for lunch and two 15-minute breaks.

Despite the lengthy shifts, moderators usually have to look at a number of movies directly, starting from three to 10, and solely evaluate 25 seconds of every video, she stated. ByteDance retains a detailed eye on the moderators’ efficiency, the Verge reported, and “heavily punishes any time taken away from watching graphic videos.”

The lawsuit alleges that TikTok has not adhered to business requirements to guard content material moderators, which embody providing them frequent breaks and psychological assist, the Verge defined. Frazier additionally claims thatTikTok has didn’t implement technical safeguards, resembling blurring or lowering the decision of movies moderators have to look at.

Because of her work as a content material moderator, Frazier stated she has developed panic assaults and despair in addition to signs related to nervousness and post-traumatic stress dysfunction. She additionally has hassle sleeping and suffers from horrible nightmares when she does handle to sleep over the content material she’s watched.

Frazier is looking for to have TikTok pay her and others for the psychological accidents they’ve suffered. In addition, she needs the courtroom to drive the corporate to arrange a medical fund for content material moderators.

Gizmodo reached out to TikTok for touch upon the lawsuit on Sunday however didn’t obtain a response by the point of publication. We’ll ensure to replace this text if we hear again.

In a latest assertion to Bloomberg, a spokesperson for the social media big stated it doesn’t touch upon ongoing litigation. However, TikTok works onerous “to promote a caring working environment for our employees and contractors.”

“Our safety team partners with third party firms on the critical work of helping to protect the TikTok platform and community, and we continue to expand on a range of wellness services so that moderators feel supported mentally and emotionally,” the spokesperson stated.