TWO Microsoft workers who claim they were forced to watch “horrific images” including child pornography, bestiality and murder as part of their job are suing the company.
Henry Soto and Greg Blauert, former customer service workers assigned to Microsoft’s online safety program, allege they developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the work, Courthouse News reports.
The two men, who were responsible for deciding whether content should be removed or reported to police, claim they were never informed about the dangerous psychological impacts of the job, and were not allowed to turn down the assignment.
The pair are suing Microsoft in a Washington court for negligence, disability discrimination and violations of the Consumer Protection Act.
“Plaintiffs Henry Soto and Greg Blauert were not warned about the likely dangerous impact of reviewing the depictions nor were they warned they may become so concerned with the welfare of the children, they would not appreciate the harm the toxic images would cause them and their families,” the complaint said, according to Courthouse News.
They allege that instead of providing trained therapists for the team, Microsoft developed a “wellness program” advising employees disturbed by images to take “walks and smoking breaks” and redirect thoughts by playing video games.
Mr Soto said he was involuntarily transferred to the newly formed safety team in 2008 and under Microsoft policy had to remain in the position for one-and-a-half years before he could request a transfer.
“The new Online Safety team had just been created and Mr Soto was one of the initial employees with the team and had limited information about the position,” the complaint said.
“He did not understand the level of activity in the following areas: assisting law enforcement efforts to break up significant crime rings, the mob, the triad, and other violent groups, reviewing photos and video requiring him to witness horrible brutality, murder, indescribable sexual assaults, videos of humans dying and, in general, videos and photographs designed to entertain the most twisted and sick minded people in the world.”
Mr Soto said he began having nightmares and disturbing hallucinations after viewing a video of a girl being abused and killed. He was transferred to a new position in 2014, but continued to suffer from PTSD and took medical leave in 2015. Mr Blauert began working on the team in 2011, and suffered a breakdown in 2013 and claims to suffer from “acute and debilitating PTSD”.
Microsoft said in a statement to Courthouse News: “Microsoft applies industry-leading, cutting-edge technology to help detect and classify illegal images of child abuse and exploitation that are shared by users on Microsoft services.
“Once verified by a specially trained employee, the company removes the image, reports it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and bans the users who shared the images from our services. We have put in place robust wellness programs to ensure the employees who handle this material have the resources and support they need.”