TikTok is being accused of “backtracking” on its safety commitments, as it puts hundreds of moderator jobs at risk in its London office.
In August, the company announced that hundreds of jobs were at risk in its Trust and Safety offices.
In an open letter to MPs, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said on Thursday that TikTok is “looking to replace skilled UK workers with unproven AI-driven content moderation and with workers in places like Kenya or the Philippines who are subject to gruelling conditions, poverty pay”.
Sky News understands that a number of the 400+ moderators losing their jobs will be replaced by agency workers in other countries, as part of TikTok’s efforts to streamline its trust and safety operations.
TikTok’s moderators in Dublin and Berlin have also reported they are at risk of redundancy.
Now, the chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee, Dame Chi Onwurah MP, has told the company the job losses “bring into question” TikTok’s ability to protect users from harmful and misleading content.
Dame Chi Onwurah speaks at the House of Commons. File pic: Reuters
“TikTok seem to be backtracking on statements it made only half a year ago,” said Dame Chi.
“This raises alarming questions not only about its accountability […], but also about its plans to keep users safe.
“They must provide clarity urgently and answer key questions about its changes to its content moderation process, otherwise, how can we have any confidence in their ability to properly moderate content and safeguard users?”
She set a 10 November deadline for the firm to respond.
Moderators gathered to protest the…
