TikTok to lean heavily on AI moderators as US future hangs in the balance

TikTok is gradually shifting toward AI-driven content moderation, leading to significant layoffs of human moderators globally as it attempts to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. 

According to the Communication Workers Union’s estimates, there are about 300 people employed in the company’s London trust and safety department, and most of them will be affected.

Tech advances force TikTok to reshape its approach to content moderation

TikTok is reportedly ready to lay off hundreds of staff in London who work on content moderation and security, and many think this is happening in response to the UK’s Online Safety Act.

The safety act requires international tech companies to prevent the spread of dangerous material or face huge fines.

Already, UK staff in the Chinese-owned group’s trust and safety department have been notified via email on Friday that it is possible the company will stop “moderation and quality assurance work” at its London site, as it seeks to automate more of the process with AI.

TikTok expects several hundred jobs in its trust and safety team could be affected across the UK, as well as South and South-East Asia, as the collective consultation process begins as part of a global reorganization of its content moderation efforts.

“The proposed changes are intended to concentrate operational expertise in specific locations,” read an email, seen by the Financial Times, which also contained plans to hold a town-hall meeting with affected staff on Friday morning.

The viral video platform has admitted that “technological advances, such as the enhancement of large language models, are reshaping our approach”.

The Safety Act has triggered mixed reactions across the UK as it requires companies to mandate age checks on users attempting to access potentially harmful content.

Companies that refuse to comply with that mandate — as well as the one stipulating tech companies must get rid of dangerous and illegal material swiftly — are liable to face penalties of up to £18 million, or 10% of their global turnover, whichever hits harder.

TikTok is already rushing to comply. It introduced new “age assurance” controls last month and has shared plans to use machine-learning technology to “infer” a user’s age based on how they use the site and who they communicate with.

These AI-based systems are yet to be endorsed by the regulator Ofcom, which is assessing compliance.

TikTok’s struggle in the US continues

The UK is not the only area TikTok is facing issues; it’s not faring too well in the U.S. either.

Last year, a ruling required ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets or demonstrate significant progress toward a sale, but Trump chose not to enforce it after taking office on January 20.

The move has split Congress, with some officials grumbling about him flouting the law and ignoring national security concerns linked to China’s ties to the streaming app.

Trump does not share those concerns, and on Friday, he dismissed the bipartisan security concerns over the app, calling them “highly overrated” while declaring himself “a fan of TikTok” and offering reassurances that his administration would be ready to deal with any problems.

In the meantime, he has assured all that there are American buyers lined up for TikTok and has floated the possibility of further extending the deadline for ByteDance to divest the app’s U.S. assets.