KUALA LUMPUR – TikTok has confirmed recent layoffs in Malaysia as part of its global workforce reduction, though the exact number of affected employees remains unclear due to varying local employment regulations.
“We’re making these changes as part of our ongoing efforts to further strengthen our global operating model for content moderation,” a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement.
“We expect to invest $2bn globally in trust and safety in 2024 alone and are continuing to improve the efficacy of our efforts, with 80% of violative content now removed by automated technologies.”
According to the FMT, TikTok said it was unable to provide a precise figure on the layoffs, “owing to varying local employment regulation processes around the world.”
“We anticipate that several hundred people will be impacted globally,” it said.
The decision comes as part of the company’s efforts to enhance its content moderation capabilities.
Reports of the layoffs in Malaysia first surfaced yesterday when a news portal revealed that TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, had terminated hundreds of employees.
According to the report, more than 500 workers, most involved in content moderation, received termination emails.
This restructuring is not limited to Malaysia. In May, CNN reported that TikTok had planned a significant reduction of its global workforce, particularly affecting operations and marketing teams. By June, Bloomberg reported that ByteDance had laid off 450 employees in its Indonesian branch following the acquisition of a local e-commerce firm that was subsequently integrated into TikTok’s operations.
Despite these layoffs, ByteDance has continued to invest in Malaysia, announcing in June its intention to pour RM10 billion into the country to establish a regional hub for artificial intelligence.
ByteDance’s global efforts to streamline its operations also extend to content moderation. The spokesperson reiterated that the layoffs are part of the company’s strategy to strengthen its global operating model.
Local reports have highlighted that most of the Malaysian employees affected were engaged in content moderation roles, responsible for monitoring content not just for Southeast Asia but other regions as well. – October 11, 2024