TikTok is set to cut hundreds of jobs globally, with Malaysia expected to be significantly impacted as the company shifts towards AI-driven content moderation.
The China-based platform, owned by ByteDance, announced on Friday that it plans to reduce its workforce by several hundred employees but did not specify numbers per country.
In Malaysia, less than 500 positions are anticipated to be affected. A spokesperson for TikTok confirmed that the job cuts are part of a larger initiative to enhance content moderation.
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“We’re planning to invest $2 billion globally in trust and safety in 2024, with 80% of harmful content now being detected and removed through automated technology,” the spokesperson said.
TikTok employs both AI and human moderators to manage and review content. The restructuring follows speculation about TikTok's plans to scale back its global operations, especially in marketing and other departments.
This decision comes amid growing regulatory pressures on tech companies in Malaysia. A rise in harmful online content prompted the government to request that social media platforms obtain operating licenses.
Malaysia has been tackling issues like online fraud, child exploitation, and cyberbullying, which are driving the push for stricter controls.
ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, has over 110,000 employees spread across 200 cities worldwide.
