Moderating content doesn’t have to be so traumatic

Lasting trauma doesn’t necessarily have to be in the job description for workers who watch graphic or violent videos as part of their jobs. Content moderators, journalists, and activists often have to wade through horrific images, videos and text to do their work, a task that can imperil their mental health and lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. Luckily, experts say there are ways to minimize the harms of so-called vicarious or secondary trauma.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is caused by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying incident, and the symptoms include acute anxiety, flashbacks, and intrusive thoughts. Though most people think about PTSD in the context of war or being physically involved with a crisis, in recent...

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