Facebook grooming 7,500 content reviewers for objectionable posts
San Francisco, July 28 : After facing ire over reports that its moderators protect far-right activists and under-age accounts, Facebook says it is constantly grooming over 7,500 content reviewers how to handle posts related to hate speeches, terror and child sexual exploitation on its platform.
The content reviewers are a mix of full-time employees, contractors and companies Facebook partners with -- covering every time zone and over 50 languages across the world.
"Content review at this size has never been done before. After all, there has never been a platform where so many people communicate in so many different languages across so many different countries and cultures. We recognise the enormity of this challenge and the responsibility we have to get it right," Ellen Silver, Vice President of Operations at Facebook, wrote in a blog post on Friday.
"Language proficiency is key and it lets us review content around the clock. If something is reported in a language that we don't support 24/7, we can work with translation companies and other experts who can help us understand local context and language to assist in reviewing it," Silver added.
The company came under heavy criticism Channel 4 Dispatches -- a documentary series -- sent an undercover reporter to work as a content moderator in a Dublin-based Facebook contractor.
It showed that moderators at Facebook were preventing Pages from far-right activists from being deleted even after they violate the rules.
In a blog post, Monika Bickert, Vice President of Global Policy Management at Facebook, said the TV report on Channel 4 in the UK raised important questions about their policies and processes.
Facebook has also promised to double the number of people working on its safety and security teams this year to 20,000.
Silver said the company is training its team of content reviewers in three areas -- pre-training which includes what to expect on the job; hands-on learning that includes a minimum of 80 hours with a live instructor followed by hands-on practice and ongoing coaching.
"We want to keep personal perspectives and biases out of the equation entirely -- so, in theory, two people reviewing the same posts would always make the same decision. Of course, judgments can vary if policies aren't sufficiently prescriptive.
Facebook said it audits a sample of reviewer decisions each week to find out if a wrong call was made.
"Our auditors are even audited on a regular basis. In addition, we have leadership at each office to provide guidance, as well as weekly check-ins with policy experts to answer any questions," said the social media giant.
Facebook said it has a team of four clinical psychologists across three regions who are tasked with designing, delivering and evaluating resiliency programmes for everyone who works with graphic and objectionable content.
"This group also works with our vendor partners and their dedicated resiliency teams to help build industry standards," said Silver.
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SSLC exam begins in Kerala; Education Minister wishes students success
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The SSLC (Class X) examination commenced in schools across Kerala on Thursday.
Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty wished students appearing for the SSLC examinations success and urged them to approach the tests with confidence.
Apart from the SSLC examination, the Plus One examination also commenced on Thursday, while the Plus Two examination will begin on Friday.
As many as 4,17,497 students are appearing for the SSLC examination, which is being held at 3,047 centres.
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A total of 633 students have registered for the SSLC examination from the Lakshadweep region.
Similarly, 633 students have registered for the SSLC examination in the Gulf region, where the examination has been postponed due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
The examination will conclude on March 30.
According to the Education Department, valuation camps for the exam papers will be held from April 7 to April 28, and the results are expected to be declared in May.
Sivankutty, in a Facebook post, said examinations should not be viewed with anxiety but as an opportunity to express the knowledge students have acquired.
Noting that students are appearing for the exams after completing their studies with revised textbooks based on the New Curriculum Framework 2023, introduced after a gap of 11 years, the minister said the new evaluation system aims to assess 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, analytical ability and creativity.
He also assured students that there are no changes in the examination structure this year and cautioned them against attempts by some people to deliberately spread fear in connection with the exams, urging them to reject such messages with discretion.
He reminded students that the Class 10 examination is only a qualifying test for higher studies and that the government has ensured Plus One seats for all students in Kerala.
The minister further urged students to prioritise their physical and mental health during the exam period by maintaining proper sleep and food habits.
“This is not the last examination in life. A world of opportunities lies ahead of you. Enter the examination hall with a calm mind,” he said, wishing all students success.
As many as 4,11,025 students have registered for the Higher Secondary (Plus One) examination and 4,52,437 students for the Higher Secondary (Plus Two) examination, which will conclude on March 28.
