TikTok confirms it has laid off employees from its Malaysian branch as part of a global workforce reduction, a spokesperson told Free Malaysia Today (FMT). The exact number of those affected remains uncertain due to varying local employment regulations, though the source said several hundred employees worldwide will be impacted by the cuts.
This decision comes as TikTok continues to enhance its content moderation efforts, they added. The company expects to invest US$2 billion globally in trust and safety initiatives in 2024, with a focus on improving the efficacy of its moderation systems. The spokesperson also noted that currently, 80% of violative content is removed through automated technologies.
Yesterday, The Malaysian Reserve reported that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has laid off hundreds of employees in Malaysia. Citing a source familiar with the matter, it is said that more than 500 individuals have received termination emails from the company, with most working in content moderation roles on the social media platform.
In June, Bloomberg reported that TikTok laid off 450 employees in Indonesia after merging its operations with a newly acquired local e-commerce firm. Similarly, in May, CNN claimed that TikTok’s global restructuring will likely impact teams involved in user support, content management, and marketing, with remaining employees redistributed to other departments such as trust and safety, marketing, and product development.
(Source: FMT)
