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An investigation by The Independent and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has revealed how low-paid workers in Türkiye, tasked with reviewing deeply disturbing videos on TikTok, are suing Canadian company Telus Digital for firing them after they tried to unionize.
Over a thousand TikTok moderators, based at Telus’s operations in Izmir, are regularly exposed to distressing content, including videos depicting terrorism, extreme violence, and child abuse. This exposure has led to significant mental health challenges such as depression and sleep disturbances.
To improve their conditions, they organized with local union Çağrı-İş. Telus then fired 15 union members, according to the workers. More than 60 percent of workers joined the union by July last year, well over the threshold to begin bargaining. However, Telus has raised a legal objection through the courts, which could take years to resolve and diminish support for the union in the meantime.
