According to three sources familiar with the matter, TikTok is undergoing a restructuring that includes layoffs in its global trust and safety unit responsible for content moderation. Adam Presser, the unit's overseer and operations head of the app, reportedly informed staff via a memo on Thursday. The layoffs have commenced for teams in Asia and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
TikTok has yet to respond to requests for comment. The move is occurring amidst uncertainty surrounding TikTok's future, following a recent U.S. law mandating the sale of the app due to national security concerns. This development follows TikTok CEO Shou Chew's testimony before Congress last year, emphasizing the company's commitment to investing heavily in trust and safety initiatives.
Last October, TikTok downsized its global workforce, particularly in Malaysia, to pivot towards a more significant reliance on AI for content moderation. Despite claiming to employ 40,000 trust and safety professionals worldwide, the scale of these recent layoffs has yet to be confirmed by Reuters.