Meta cierra el centro de moderadores de contenidos de Barcelona

Meta's Barcelona Content Moderation Center Closure

Meta has closed its content moderation center in Barcelona, operated by its subcontractor Telus. This decision affects hundreds of workers who were employed in filtering content for Facebook and Instagram. The closure is attributed to several factors.

Reasons for Closure

• Lawsuits and Salary Disputes: The center faced numerous legal battles regarding employee compensation and working conditions, including a recent court ruling that found content moderation companies responsible for the mental health consequences faced by employees.
• Meta's Shifting Moderation Policies: Mark Zuckerberg's radical changes to Meta's content moderation policy also played a role in the decision.
• Mental Health Concerns: A high rate of mental health issues amongst employees, stemming from exposure to graphic content, contributed to the situation. While Telus highlights a decreased absenteeism rate compared to the industry average, it still acknowledges the significant mental health challenges faced by workers.

Telus informed its employees on April 3rd, 2025, that they were placed on paid leave and could no longer access the facilities. The company cited client diversification and service relocation as reasons. Despite the closure, Telus maintains that its Barcelona office will remain operational for other projects with different clients.

Employee Impact

Dozens of workers protested outside the center. Employees were required to return equipment and keys, and negotiations with the workers' committee are expected to start in the coming weeks.