TikTok is placing hundreds of jobs at risk across the UK as part of a global restructuring of its trust and safety operations. The video-sharing platform is shifting towards greater reliance on artificial intelligence for content moderation as it concentrates operations in fewer global locations.
Several hundred positions will be affected in the UK, where TikTok currently employs more than 2,500 staff members. The company plans to redistribute the work of impacted employees to other European offices and external service providers, though some trust and safety functions will remain in the UK.
AI takes over moderation roles
The social media giant has been expanding its use of artificial intelligence to police content on the platform. More than 85% of material removed for breaking community guidelines is now detected and deleted through automated systems rather than human review.
TikTok argues that AI technology can shield moderation teams from exposure to disturbing or graphic material. The company describes this technological shift as part of efforts to maximise effectiveness and speed in its safety operations.
Union warns of user safety risks
The Communication Workers Union has raised concerns that the job cuts will endanger TikTok's British users. A union spokesperson said: "TikTok workers have long been sounding the alarm over the real-world costs of cutting human moderation teams in favour of hastily developed, immature AI alternatives."
The union added that worker concerns about replacing human moderators with AI have been "a constant concern throughout the process of TikTok workers' efforts to form a union." The Birmingham Mail reports that approximately 300 London-based staff will be affected by the restructuring.
Timing coincides with new safety laws
The job cuts create an apparent contradiction as they coincide with the implementation of the UK's Online Safety Act, according to GB News. The new legislation demands enhanced content moderation from social media platforms to protect users from harmful material.
TikTok operates its UK headquarters in Farringdon, London, and plans to open an additional Barbican office early next year. A company spokesman said: "We are continuing a reorganisation that we started last year to strengthen our global operating model for trust and safety, which includes concentrating our operations in fewer locations globally."
Sources used: "PA Media", "Birmingham Mail", "GB News" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
