The Strategist

TikTok may replace hundreds of moderators in the UK with artificial intelligence



08/25/2025 - 09:57



The social media platform TikTok, which is owned by China's ByteDance, might lay off hundreds of staff in its UK branch responsible for content moderation and platform security, according to the Financial Times.



Nordskov Media via flickr
Nordskov Media via flickr
Staff in this division got a communication from management indicating that the company will cease moderation from London. Estimates from the British Communications Workers' Union suggest that around 300 individuals work in the company's London division, with a majority potentially facing termination.

Moderation will be partially shifted to nations with lower labor costs, such as departments in Dublin or Lisbon, and partly managed by AI.

“Advancements in technology, such as the creation of extensive language models, are altering our methods,” the letter states.

The UK has recently enacted the Online Safety Act, which mandates that platforms verify users' ages and limit potentially harmful content for individuals under 18.

Last month, TikTok launched this feature and intends to utilize AI tools that analyze user behavior to assess age in the future.

source: ft.com