Research and references

Sources

These sources helped us understand AI content moderation as a labor issue connected to outsourcing, mental health, global inequality, and worker organizing.

Jacobin

Bhattacharjee, Shikha Silliman, and Nandita Shivakumar. "The Hidden Human Cost of AI Moderation." Jacobin, 2025. jacobin.com/2025/06/ai-moderation-ndas-trauma-labor

Rest of World

Elliott, Vittoria, and Tekendra Parmar. "The Despair and Darkness of People Will Get to You." Rest of World, 22 July 2020. restofworld.org/2020/facebook-international-content-moderators/

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

Tan, Rebecca, and Regine Cabato. "Philippines: Scale AI Creating 'Race to the Bottom' as Outsourced Workers Face 'Digital Sweatshop' Conditions Incl. Low Wages & Withheld Payments." Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 2023.

Equal Times

Wray, Ben. "Content Moderation Is What a 21st Century Hazardous Job Looks Like." Equal Times, 27 Mar. 2025. equaltimes.org/content-moderation-is-what-a-21st?lang=en

Worker and Advocacy Groups

Additional groups connected to this issue include the Global Trade Union Alliance of Content Moderators, Platform Workers Pilipinas, Foxglove, All Tech Is Human, and the Center for Democracy & Technology.