14 october 2024 : TikTok has announced plans to cut hundreds of jobs globally, particularly impacting employees in Malaysia, as the platform transitions to AI-assisted content moderation. The parent company, ByteDance, confirmed on Friday that it would eliminate several hundred positions worldwide but did not specify the exact numbers by country. In Malaysia, it is anticipated that fewer than 500 jobs will be affected.
A TikTok representative stated that these layoffs are part of a strategy to enhance content moderation, with a commitment to invest $2 billion globally in trust and safety initiatives in 2024. The spokesperson highlighted that 80% of violative content is now removed using automated technologies.
The platform employs a mix of human moderators and automated systems to review user-generated content. These changes come amid ongoing speculation about a significant reduction in TikTok’s global operations and marketing teams.
ByteDance, which employs over 110,000 people across more than 200 cities worldwide, faces heightened regulatory scrutiny in Malaysia. Earlier this year, the Malaysian government reported an increase in malicious content on social media, prompting requests for social media platforms to obtain operating licenses to combat rising cybercrime, including online fraud and child exploitation.
