TikTok to Cut Hundreds of Jobs Globally as AI Takes Over Content Moderation
By: Abdulwasiu Akintunde
Popular social media platform, TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance has announced it will cut several hundred jobs globally as part of a shift toward AI-driven content moderation.
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News gathered that in a brief statement, a TikTok spokesperson explained that the layoffs are intended to enhance content moderation efforts.
The company did not disclose specific figures by country, but reports suggest that fewer than 500 jobs in Malaysia will be impacted.
“We plan to invest $2 billion globally in trust and safety in 2024. Currently, 80% of violative content is removed through automated systems,” the spokesperson said.
TikTok currently relies on a mix of human moderators and automated tools to monitor user content. The restructuring follows rumors of significant cuts across the company’s global operations and marketing teams in recent months.
ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has more than 110,000 employees across 200 cities worldwide, according to its website.
The layoffs however coincide with mounting regulatory pressure in Malaysia, where authorities have reported an increase in harmful online content.
In response, the Government recently mandated that social media companies obtain operating licenses to combat online fraud, cyberbullying, andchild exploitation.
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