Facebook is accused of trying to silence its moderators regarding their working conditions, by imposing confidentiality agreements on them.
According to documents which have been consulted by The Guardian, Facebook moderators working in Dublin, Ireland, expressed concern that they would not be allowed to openly discuss issues regarding their working conditions with Leo Varadkar, the Irish Deputy Prime Minister.
Moderators who work at Facebook’s Irish headquarters are responsible for tackling and removing violent content, content deemed inappropriate and disinformation on the platform.
Moderators prevented from speaking about their working conditions
While the social network recently exposed its ambitions to improve the moderation of content concerning the Covid-19 pandemic, it was also criticized for forcing its employees to return workers to the Facebook offices in Dublin, rather than having them telecommute. Currently, Ireland is on lockdown, with “level 5 restrictions” including bans on visiting each other’s homes, travel restrictions, shutting down non-essential businesses and permission to travel to each other. work only for “essential” workers.
The post says nondisclosure agreements could create a “wall of silence” between the moderators and Leo Varadkar. The moderators add that these contracts are signed on the first day of work, and that they are then used as a warning, with threats of disciplinary action, against those who wish to discuss their working conditions outside the head office.
In response to moderator concerns, Facebook reportedly gave “partial” permission to speak to Irish elected officials, specifying that information subject to “contractual confidentiality obligations” could not be shared.
Facebook and Covalen deny
The moderators then sought a copy of these obligations from their employer, Covalen – the company that handles moderation – but reportedly received no response to their requests. They are supported by Foxglove, a nonprofit civil rights organization.
The social network clarified in a statement that, Covalen being the third-party employer, the confidentiality agreements are not directly kept by Facebook, which is only responsible for the protection of user data and personal information: “these obligations require to Facebook that there are confidentiality, privacy and security clauses in its suppliers’ contracts, and that the latter communicate these obligations to their employees, either through legal documents such as agreements confidentiality, training or other means ”.
Covalen has also responded to those claims, arguing that confidentiality agreements are emailed as soon as the employee begins, and that copies are always available. “Covalen respects the rights of its employees to meet with representatives of the public, but we always encourage employees, when issues related to their employment arise, to engage with the company through our internal processes first in order to to see if they can be resolved, ”explains the employer.
Source : ZDNet.com
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