TikTok, a subsidiary of ByteDance, has recently announced significant layoffs impacting hundreds of employees across the globe, including approximately 500 in Malaysia. This workforce reduction is part of the company’s strategic pivot towards enhancing content moderation through artificial intelligence.
The layoffs were officially communicated to employees via email, aligning with TikTok’s broader initiative to streamline its global content management processes. According to a spokesperson for TikTok, this move is focused on boosting efficiency in content moderation by integrating AI alongside human oversight.
Globally, TikTok has committed $2 billion towards ensuring trust and safety on its platform, with artificial intelligence now responsible for removing 80% of harmful content. As AI technology continues to develop, it increasingly handles violations related to nudity, violence, and other policy infractions, gradually replacing human moderators who have been subjected to challenging working conditions, including low wages and exposure to distressing material.
Even with the burgeoning role of AI, TikTok still relies on human reviewers for handling cases that are appealed. The company has faced scrutiny regarding the mental health impact of this work on human moderators, leading TikTok to assert its commitment to providing support for its employees.
These layoffs occur in the context of rising regulatory scrutiny in areas like Malaysia, where the government is urging social media companies to enhance their content moderation efforts to address cybercrime. Additionally, TikTok has found itself embroiled in legal disputes in the United States, with several states alleging that the platform’s addictive features adversely affect teenagers’ mental health.
This transition towards AI-driven content moderation is part of a broader trend in the technology sector, where automation is increasingly being adopted to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs.
