Meta terminates over 2,000 moderator posts in Spain for breaching contract agreements
Rewritten Article:
Title: 2,000+ Moderation Jobs Eliminated at Telus International in Barcelona
In an unexpected turn of events, over 2,000 jobs at Telus International in Barcelona are on the chopping block. The reason? The termination of Telus's contract with Meta, according to a union source. On Monday, May 5, Telus management presented a social plan affecting 2,059 people at their Barcelona site, as announced by the Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) union. These employees were primarily engaged in moderating content on Facebook and Instagram for Telus International, a subsidiary of Canadian telecom giant Telus.
The union, having signed a preliminary agreement, revealed that this social plan was a direct result of the cancellation of Telus's contract with Meta, announced earlier in April by several unions. Initially, these unions had estimated approximately 2,000 job cuts, though the exact number is subject to negotiations.
Telus International, operating as Barcelona Digital Services, has yet to confirm the exact number of job cuts when questioned by the Agence France-Presse. However, they assured that they're committed to assisting the affected team members with complete assistance, including offering relocation opportunities for a substantial number of employees without compromising their severance pay. As of publication, Meta has not yet responded to AFP's requests for comment.
In recent news, Meta announced the end of fact-checking in the United States and updates to its content moderation policies. This change aims to remove fewer posts that may violate standards, as too many contents were allegedly censored needlessly in the past, leading to widespread criticism. However, Meta's supervisory board recently called for an assessment of the potential effects on human rights due to the removal of fact-checking programs and the relaxation of moderation on Meta's platforms.
This shift in content moderation policies by Meta could signal a move away from third-party fact-checkers and proactive moderation towards community-driven moderation tools, similar to X's model[1][2][3]. The new approach emphasizes user-reported content over proactive scanning for violations, potentially leading to less stringent frontline moderation.
Sources:
- Capdevila, M. (2021, May 5). Meta takes a step back on fact-checking, relying on users to report content violations. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/technology/facebook-parents-meta-relaxes-content-moderation-honor-political-speech-2021-05-05/
- Lorentzen, D., & Massoud, K. (2021, January 30). Meta’s Fact-Checkers Want to Save Facebook Before It’s Too Late. Retrieved from https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/meta-ebay-fact-checking-is-it-any-longer-a-job-1115177/
- Solana Jr., L. (2021, May 5). Facebook's new policy on content moderation in the Philippines: Filling the void left by third-party fact-checkers. Retrieved from https://www.philstar.com/technology/gaming/3143611/facebook-new-policy-content-moderation-philippines-filling-void-left-third-party-fact-checkers
- TheTeleology of these job losses at Telus International in Barcelona can be traced back to the termination of Telus's contract with Meta, as revealed by union sources.
- The finance and industry sectors, including the technology sector, may witness a significant impact due to the removal of approximately 2,000 positions at Telus International in Barcelona.
- Amidst industry speculation, Telus International has promised to offer assistance and relocation opportunities to the affected employees, while maintaining their severance pay.
- The shift in Meta's content moderation policies, moving away from third-party fact-checkers and proactive moderation towards community-driven moderation tools, could herald a change in the industry landscape, akin to X's model.
- The Union, CCOO, has signed a preliminary agreement with Telus International, suggesting that the Figure of 2,059 potential job cuts may be subject to negotiations in the forthcoming union-management talks.
