The US company is opening its second "delete center" in Essen, Germany. This will create around 500 new jobs in the Ruhr Metropolis.
In cooperation with the Austrian service provider CCC Competence Call Center, the newly created team will be responsible for checking posts from users and removing illegal content from autumn 2017 onwards. In Berlin, Facebook already employs 700 people in this division.
NRW Minister President Armin Laschet welcomes the fact that NRW is now also making a major contribution to network security and communications culture on the Internet: "This new settlement of a global company is good for jobs in our state. The Essen location in the heart of the Ruhr region has convinced the global player Facebook and is now assuming a central role in global network communications."
Martin Ott, Head of the Central European Region at Facebook, explained: "We are aware of our responsibility and will continue to intensify our efforts to combat illegal content. We are part of the German economy and are therefore investing in the Essen region in order to further expand our commitment in Germany."
When deciding on the location, a key factor in favor of the Ruhr Metropolis was the availability of multilingual specialists with high intercultural competence. Facebook is currently looking for not only German-speaking employees, but also people who speak Persian, Turkish, Kurdish or Arabic.
Facebook stressed that the employees in content moderation receive all the necessary support. Ulf Herbrechter, CCC's Chief Operating Officer, also emphasized that particular importance is attached to employees being prepared for their upcoming tasks through regular training, intensive courses and psychological support.