Katie Porter: Youâve got about 15 thousand contractors watching murders, stabbings, suicides, other gruesome disgusting videos for content moderation, correct?
Mark Zuckerberg: Congresswoman, yes, I believe that thatâs correct.
Katie Porter: You pay many of those workers under $30 thousand a year, and youâve cut them off from mental health care when they leave the company, even if they have PTSD because of their work for your company. Is that correct?
Mark Zuckerberg: Congresswoman, my understanding is we pay everyone, including the contractors associated with the company, at least a $15 minimum wage, in markets, in cities where thereâs a high cost of living, thatâs a $20 minimum wage. We go out of our wayâ
Katie Porter: Thank you, Iâll take your word at the wage. Reclaiming my time. According to one report I have, and this is straight out of an episode of Black Mirror, these workers get nine (*nine*) minutes of supervised wellness time per day. That means nine minutes to cry in the stairwell while somebody watches them. Would you be willing to commit to spending one hour a day, for the next year, watching these videos and acting as a content moderator, and only accessing the same benefits available to your workers?
Mark Zuckerberg: Congresswoman, we work hard to make sure we give good benefits to all the folks who are doing thisâ
Katie Porter: Mr. Zuckerberg, reclaiming my time, I would appreciate a yes or a no. Would you be willing to act as a content moderator? To have that life experience?
Mark Zuckerberg: Iâm not sure it would best serve our community for me to spend that much timeâ
Katie Porter: Reclaiming my time. Mr. Zuckerberg, are you saying youâre not qualified to be a content monitor?
Mark Zuckerberg: No, Congresswoman, thatâs not what Iâm saying.
Katie Porter: Okay, then youâre saying youâre not willing to do it.
