Social media giant TikTok is laying off hundreds of employees globally, with a significant impact on its workforce in Malaysia, as the company moves to enhance its use of artificial intelligence in content moderation. The company, owned by China’s ByteDance, confirmed on Friday that less than 500 positions in Malaysia have been cut, although sources had initially suggested that over 700 jobs were affected.
The layoffs, affecting primarily content moderation staff, were communicated to employees via email on Wednesday. Sources familiar with the situation requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking publicly. TikTok confirmed that the job cuts will impact several hundred employees worldwide as part of a broader plan to streamline its moderation operations.
TikTok currently employs a hybrid approach to content review, combining automated AI-driven systems with human moderators to manage posts on its platform. The company’s statement noted that these changes are part of an effort to optimize its global operating model for content moderation. ByteDance, which boasts a workforce of over 110,000 across more than 200 cities worldwide, is expected to make further cuts next month, according to sources.
“We’re making these changes to strengthen our content moderation structure globally,” a TikTok spokesperson stated. They added that the company plans to invest $2 billion in trust and safety initiatives this year, with 80% of content removed for guideline violations being handled by AI systems.
These layoffs come amid increased regulatory scrutiny of tech companies in Malaysia, where authorities have mandated that social media platforms secure an operating license by January as part of broader measures to address cyber-related offenses.
The job cuts were initially reported by The Malaysian Reserve on Thursday, highlighting the shifting landscape of global tech operations in response to both technological advancements and regulatory pressures.
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