Social media platform TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, announced a reorganization of its content moderation service in the United Kingdom as part of its global plan to strengthen artificial intelligence, a move that could affect hundreds of jobs in the country.
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A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement reported by Agence France-Presse: “We continue to reorganize our management services, which we began last year. This includes focusing our operations on fewer locations worldwide (…) while developing this critical function for the company through technological advancements,” including artificial intelligence.
TikTok clarified that some moderation jobs will remain in the UK, and affected moderators will be given priority for internal roles.
Moderators are responsible for preventing the publication of content containing hate speech, misinformation, or pornographic material on the platform.
This global reorganization, which also affects several Asian countries, particularly Malaysia, reflects a broader trend among social media companies to reduce reliance on human employees and shift more toward AI. TikTok states that 85% of content removals that violate its rules are now handled automatically through automated technologies.
Since July 25, websites, social media platforms, and video-sharing platforms in the UK have been required to implement strict safeguards to prevent minors from accessing inappropriate content under the Online Safety Act.
The law also obliges platforms to remove content promoting eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, or self-harm.
TikTok says it has more than 30 million monthly users in the UK, out of a population of about 68 million.
In June, the company announced the creation of 500 jobs in the country and the opening of a second office in London, bringing its workforce to 3,000 employees.
The popular video-sharing platform, with over 1.5 billion members, is under scrutiny by authorities in Europe and the United States due to its impact on children’s mental health, use of user data, ties to Beijing, and influence on public opinion.
The social network faces the possibility of being banned in the United States if its parent company, ByteDance, does not relinquish control. A deadline for the sale is set for September 17.
