TikTok will cut jobs as it shifts focus to AI-driven content moderation, with a significant number of employees in Malaysia likely to feel the impact. The platform, owned by ByteDance, announced plans to lay off hundreds globally but didn’t provide exact numbers for each country. The company estimates that fewer than 500 jobs will face cuts in Malaysia due to the change.
A TikTok spokesperson explained that the job cuts are part of the company’s push to improve content moderation. TikTok plans to invest $2 billion globally in trust and safety by 2024, aiming to boost the effectiveness of its efforts, with 80% of harmful content now being taken down by automated systems.
The platform currently uses a combination of human moderators and AI technology to review user content.
The restructuring comes amid ongoing rumors that TikTok plans to significantly downsize its global operations and marketing teams. ByteDance, which owns TikTok, employs over 110,000 people across more than 200 cities worldwide, according to its website.
These layoffs also align with growing regulatory pressure on tech companies in Malaysia, where there has been a reported spike in malicious content on social media earlier this year. In response, the Malaysian government has asked social media platforms to apply for an operating license to better address rising issues like cybercrime, online fraud, child exploitation, and cyberbullying.
