TikTok to lay off hundreds of UK content moderators

TikTok, the well-known social media platform, is planning to lay off hundreds of content moderators in the UK. These moderators are responsible for checking and reviewing the videos and posts that appear on TikTok, making sure they follow the rules and are safe for users. According to TikTok, the company will move some of this work to other offices in Europe and will invest more in artificial intelligence, or AI, to help with moderation. AI is a type of technology that can learn and make decisions, and TikTok believes it can help them review content more quickly and effectively.

A spokesperson from TikTok explained that the company is reorganizing its Trust and Safety team to make their global operations stronger. This means they will have fewer locations where moderation happens, focusing on bigger offices. However, the Communication Workers Union, or CWU, is not happy about this decision. The union says TikTok is putting profits ahead of the safety of workers and the public. John Chadfield, a CWU officer, said that TikTok workers have warned about the problems that come from replacing human moderators with AI. He believes that computers are not as good as people at spotting harmful or upsetting content. The union also pointed out that TikTok announced these job cuts just as workers are about to vote on whether to have their union recognized.

TikTok claims that their automated systems, including AI, already remove 85% of posts that break the rules. This means human moderators do not have to see as much disturbing content. The company says that staff who lose their jobs can apply for other roles within TikTok and will be given priority if they meet the requirements. The UK government has recently made new laws to make sure social media companies check the content on their platforms and protect young users. The Online Safety Act, which started in July, allows for big fines if companies do not follow the rules. TikTok has added new parental controls to help parents keep their children safe, but some people still think the company needs to do more. The UK government is investigating TikTok to make sure it is protecting users, especially teenagers, and TikTok says it has strong measures in place to keep them safe.