As the world is constantly active on social media with online content such as cat videos and unsolicited opinions, the unsung heroes behind the screens, content moderators, are always working overtime to ensure our feeds are civil or at least within tolerable measures. Now, these warriors of the digital realm, often burdened with going through mountains of memes, rants, and everything in between, find themselves caught in the middle of corporate restructuring.

Telus, a Canadian tech company that moderates content for Meta, has found itself in this unfortunate position of cutting loose 2000 employees from its content moderation facility in Barcelona following the termination of the contract by Meta Platforms. This decision was communicated via email on Thursday to the affected employees, placing them on gardening leave, which would see them get full salaries during the leave but with no assigned work, while Telus engaged in negotiations with the unions.

Layoffs and Meta

The email that was seen did not name Meta, though both the CCOO and UGT unions confirmed it was the client in question. According to former and current employees speaking on the condition of anonymity due to non-disclosure agreements, the Barcelona team was engaged in content moderation for Meta in various languages, including Catalan, Dutch, French, Hebrew, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Telus’ Response to Layoffs

Telus responded that its clients were diversifying operations and moving services from one location to another. Further, the company assured that the contract with Meta would remain in effect and support affected employees during the ongoing discussions with unions. Telus said,

“Our clients are diversifying their presence and transferring their services to other locations.”

Shift in Content Moderation at Meta

According to a Meta spokesperson, besides Barcelona, the content moderation services have now been extended geographically to other destinations. However, the company added that this will not affect their activities as regards content review. Historically, the company has invested billions and employed thousands of moderators worldwide to monitor sensitive content. The shift concerning content moderation at Meta now signals much more than merely a change in one aspect and reevaluates strategy. In January, the company scrapped its  U.S fact-checking program following President Donald Trump’s election. It declared that it would scan no further beyond surfacing hate speech or other rule violations. Instead, only the user reports will drive Meta’s content reviews.

Implications of Content Moderation Restructuring

The increase of complications and scrutiny surrounding content moderation is at the heart of these layoffs. Meta remains steadfast in its commitment to controlling sensitive content, but gradual restructuring of its global moderation efforts has led to a drastic change for employees. In Barcelona, where the moderation team worked with centers in Bulgaria, Colombia, and Portugal, the future of moderation operations is still quite uncertain.

Affected Workers

As Telus negotiates with unions, the future is anything but bright for 2,000 Barcelona employees. Severance support was promised, but the restructuring of Meta’s content moderation services marks a changing landscape in the tech industry, in which companies are re-evaluating their stance on regulating online content.

While it may seem a ruthless move by Meta and Telus to cut jobs, the underlying restructuring raises bigger questions about the viability of content moderation in its current form. Meta is diversifying, and its moderation efforts appear to be shifting again. We are keen on one thing for now, that no algorithm has yet replaced the subtle nuances of perception that a human moderator can provide. This very transition may become the foundation of the entire future of online content management, and all we have to do is wait.