Two former Microsoft employees, who claim they suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after watching children being sexually abused as part of their job, are suing the company.
Henry Soto and Greg Blauert, who worked for the tech giant’s online safety team from 2008, claim Microsoft failed to warn them about the dangers of the job and failed to provide psychological support after they were made to look at pornographic videos and pictures, featuring children, as part of their role.
The complaint alleges that both men were denied compensation, because the PTSD that they developed as a result was not recognised as “an occupational disease”.
Both men are suing Microsoft for damages alleging negligence, disability discrimination and violations of the Consumer Protection Act.
Mr Soto and Mr Blauert alleged that that the traumatic nature of the images and videos they saw caused them great mental and emotional hardship, made it difficult for them to find work again and had a significant impact on their relationships with their families.
He said that before starting, he was not fully informed of the full nature of the role, and that it would require him to review videos and photos of “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 Blauert said that he had suffered from nightmares and outbursts of anger as a result of being forced to view the images and videos.
According to court documents, the role of the Microsoft's online safety team is to facilitate cooperation between Microsoft and law enforcement, in accordance with legislation passed in 2007.
A Microsoft spokesperson denied the company was negligent regarding the mental health of its employees. The company acknowledged in a statement that the work is “difficult” but described it as“critically important to a safer and more trusted internet.”
Microsoft said: “We disagree with the plaintiffs’ claims. Microsoft takes seriously its responsibility to remove and report imagery of child sexual exploitation and abuse being shared on its services, as well as the health and resiliency of the employees who do this important work.”
