By Daniel Brouse for The Membrane Domain Cybersecurity
Two former Microsoft employees have filed a lawsuit against Microsoft claiming PTSD. Their job as part of the security team was to review users content that had been flagged by automated software. For instance, pictures sent through Hotmail or other Microsoft services that appeared suspicious were then reviewed by humans.
The two ex-employees, Henry Soto and Greg Blauert, jobs were to uphold Microsoft’s legal obligation to inform authorities of illegal images. Mr. Soto’s and Mr. Blauert’s primary responsibility was to report pictures of child abuse to the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Mr. Soto viewed “many thousands of photographs and videos of the most horrible, inhumane and disgusting content one can imagine,” the lawsuit stated. “Many people simply cannot imagine what Mr. Soto had to view on a daily basis as most people do not understand how horrible and inhumane the worst people in the world can be.”
Microsoft disputed the 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.”