5 ms·

Why would anyone choose this job? What am I missing? If you’re absolutely desperate, what about working at a fast food restaurant?

throwaways885 6y ago
I suspect a lot of these job listings are disguised as generic office work, and you don't know what you're in for until it's too late (NDA, job started, etc...)
overlordalex 6y ago
Off the top of my head: - This can be done from home. - It can be done by individuals with mobility issues, or other conditions preventing them from leaving home - Ability to have a flexible schedule (not sure how FB handles this, but I can see the work being done ad-hoc)
- wayneftw 6y ago
  The article says it cannot be done from home. FB requires these moderators to work in the office. It's probably done to prevent them from sharing what they see with other members of their household, just like the NDA they have to sign.
  - overlordalex 6y ago
    In this case it seems to specifically be the contractor, whereas Facebook allows it. I agree it's not a good reason for this article, but explains why some might choose this type of work over working the grill at maccas > Isabella claims she was not allowed to work from home, unlike her counterparts who were employed directly by Facebook who did the same job.
stagger87 6y ago
Money? Just like any other job. It pays better than fast food.
robjan 6y ago
If nobody wanted to do the job, the salary would increase until people wanted to do the job.
- mbostleman 6y ago
  Correct. These are high paying jobs.
- coffeeboy27 6y ago
  You can't manufacture desire. Do you think people want to collect garbage or climb radio towers? Raising compensation until you can convince desperate people that the risk to their mental health is worth that amount of money is as close as you get.
cameron_b 6y ago
I had the same thought. I used to work at a company with notoriously tough expectations. The sales team was worked so hard that if an agent lasted a year they were viewed in the community as generally able to sell anything to anyone. Ketchup popsicle to a lady in a white dress, type stuff. Contracting to Facebook is 1 degree from a real FAANG job, and I'm sure the money is good, requirements are minimal and expectations are high. There will be a certain prestige to the job, even if its terrible.
mbostleman 6y ago
Because the pay is high to offset the downsides. Not sure about FB, but Youtube reportedly pays moderators an annual salary of $37k [1] and Glassdoor reports the average content moderator salary is $45k. The US Health and Human Services put those salaries between 3 and 4 times that of the poverty guideline for a single person. This poverty guideline describes the bottom 12% of the US population. The Youtube salary describes the middle 33%. In the referenced Youtube article, the man "worries that he will not be able to find another job that pays as well as this one does". [1] https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/16/21021005/ https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/16/21021005/
- senectus1 6y ago
  the pay is high? Sorry but 37k does not pay enough to force me to pollute my mind every day.
echoradio 6y ago
You bring up an interesting point. In the U.S. it’s been discussed how the recent stimulus has led to the improvements in the unemployment rate slowing. People aren’t interested in going back to low-paying, degrading jobs — like fast food. It’s forcing businesses to increase their hourly wage to find willing workers. It makes you wonder if Facebook will face the same fate soon with its moderation jobs. Will there be a point where the cost to hire and support these people becomes unsustainable? Will they master moderation by machine learning before this occurs? Seems Facebook may be faking it while it’s making it.

throwaways885 6y ago

I suspect a lot of these job listings are disguised as generic office work, and you don't know what you're in for until it's too late (NDA, job started, etc...)

overlordalex 6y ago

Off the top of my head: - This can be done from home. - It can be done by individuals with mobility issues, or other conditions preventing them from leaving home - Ability to have a flexible schedule (not sure how FB handles this, but I can see the work being done ad-hoc)

wayneftw 6y ago
The article says it cannot be done from home. FB requires these moderators to work in the office. It's probably done to prevent them from sharing what they see with other members of their household, just like the NDA they have to sign.
- overlordalex 6y ago
  In this case it seems to specifically be the contractor, whereas Facebook allows it. I agree it's not a good reason for this article, but explains why some might choose this type of work over working the grill at maccas > Isabella claims she was not allowed to work from home, unlike her counterparts who were employed directly by Facebook who did the same job.

stagger87 6y ago

Money? Just like any other job. It pays better than fast food.

robjan 6y ago

If nobody wanted to do the job, the salary would increase until people wanted to do the job.

mbostleman 6y ago
Correct. These are high paying jobs.
coffeeboy27 6y ago
You can't manufacture desire. Do you think people want to collect garbage or climb radio towers? Raising compensation until you can convince desperate people that the risk to their mental health is worth that amount of money is as close as you get.

cameron_b 6y ago

I had the same thought. I used to work at a company with notoriously tough expectations. The sales team was worked so hard that if an agent lasted a year they were viewed in the community as generally able to sell anything to anyone. Ketchup popsicle to a lady in a white dress, type stuff. Contracting to Facebook is 1 degree from a real FAANG job, and I'm sure the money is good, requirements are minimal and expectations are high. There will be a certain prestige to the job, even if its terrible.

mbostleman 6y ago

Because the pay is high to offset the downsides. Not sure about FB, but Youtube reportedly pays moderators an annual salary of $37k [1] and Glassdoor reports the average content moderator salary is $45k. The US Health and Human Services put those salaries between 3 and 4 times that of the poverty guideline for a single person. This poverty guideline describes the bottom 12% of the US population. The Youtube salary describes the middle 33%. In the referenced Youtube article, the man "worries that he will not be able to find another job that pays as well as this one does". [1] https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/16/21021005/ https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/16/21021005/

senectus1 6y ago
the pay is high? Sorry but 37k does not pay enough to force me to pollute my mind every day.

echoradio 6y ago

You bring up an interesting point. In the U.S. it’s been discussed how the recent stimulus has led to the improvements in the unemployment rate slowing. People aren’t interested in going back to low-paying, degrading jobs — like fast food. It’s forcing businesses to increase their hourly wage to find willing workers. It makes you wonder if Facebook will face the same fate soon with its moderation jobs. Will there be a point where the cost to hire and support these people becomes unsustainable? Will they master moderation by machine learning before this occurs? Seems Facebook may be faking it while it’s making it.