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 redundancies in London
In an exchange of letters with the social media giant, Dame Chi pointed out that as recently as February this year, TikTok’s director of public policy and government, Ali Law, had «highlighted the importance of the work of staff to support TikTok’s [AI] moderation processes».
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In the exchange that the committee published on Thursday, Mr Law said: «We reject [the committee’s] claims in their entirety, which are made without evidence.
«To be clear, the proposals that have been put forward, both in the UK and globally, are solely designed to improve the speed and efficacy of our moderation processes in order to increase safety on our platform.»
A TikTok spokesperson also told Sky News: «As we laid out in our letter to the committee, we strongly reject these claims.
«This reorganisation of our global operating model for trust and safety will ensure we maximise effectiveness and speed in our moderation processes as we evolve this critical safety function for the company with the benefit of technological advancements.»
Last month, TikTok moderators told Sky News that young people in the UK may be exposed to more harmful content if the redundancies go ahead.
«If you speak to most moderators, we wouldn’t let our children on the app,» said one moderator, who asked to remain anonymous. TikTok is under fire for allegedly going back on its safety promises and jeopardizing hundreds of moderator jobs at its London office. In August, the company announced that several positions in its Trust and Safety offices were at risk. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) penned an open letter to MPs, accusing TikTok of replacing skilled UK workers with AI-driven content moderation and employees from countries like Kenya and the Philippines who work under harsh conditions and receive low wages.
Sky News has learned that a significant number of the 400+ moderators facing job loss will be substituted by agency workers in other nations as part of TikTok’s efforts to streamline its trust and safety operations. Moderators in Dublin and Berlin have also expressed concerns about potential redundancy. Dame Chi Onwurah MP, the chair of the Science, Innovation, and Technology Select Committee, has criticized TikTok for the job losses, questioning the company’s ability to shield users from harmful and misleading content.
The deadline for TikTok to respond to these concerns has been set for November 10th. Dame Chi highlighted that TikTok appears to be retracting statements made just six months ago, raising doubts about its accountability and commitment to user safety. The company must provide clarity promptly and address crucial questions about changes to its content moderation process to maintain user trust.
In a back-and-forth with TikTok, Dame Chi pointed out that the company’s director of public policy and government, Ali Law, emphasized the significance of staff in supporting TikTok’s AI moderation processes earlier this year. In response, Law rejected the committee’s claims, stating that the proposed changes aim to enhance moderation processes for increased platform safety.
A TikTok spokesperson reiterated to Sky News that they vehemently refute the claims made against them. The restructuring of their global trust and safety operating model is intended to enhance the effectiveness and speed of moderation processes, leveraging technological advancements for improved safety measures. Last month, TikTok moderators cautioned that young individuals in the UK might encounter more harmful content if the job cuts proceed.
One moderator anonymously disclosed concerns about the impact of the redundancies on children using the app, emphasizing that most moderators would not permit their own children to use it. This sentiment was echoed by a protestor who spoke to Sky News outside TikTok’s UK headquarters. During the protest, TikTok reaffirmed to Sky News their strong rejection of the claims made against them. Keep the exact anchor texts of the links on
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.
Around 400 jobs are thought to be under threat
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 redundancies in London
In an exchange of letters with the social media giant, Dame Chi pointed out that as recently as February this year, TikTok’s director of public policy and government, Ali Law, had «highlighted the importance of the work of staff to support TikTok’s [AI] moderation processes».
Read more from Sky News:
Federal Reserve cuts interest rates
Microsoft Azure outage hits thousands
In the exchange that the committee published on Thursday, Mr Law said: «We reject [the committee’s] claims in their entirety, which are made without evidence.
«To be clear, the proposals that have been put forward, both in the UK and globally, are solely designed to improve the speed and efficacy of our moderation processes in order to increase safety on our platform.»
A TikTok spokesperson also told Sky News: «As we laid out in our letter to the committee, we strongly reject these claims.
«This reorganisation of our global operating model for trust and safety will ensure we maximise effectiveness and speed in our moderation processes as we evolve this critical safety function for the company with the benefit of technological advancements.»
Last month, TikTok moderators told Sky News that young people in the UK may be exposed to more harmful content if the redundancies go ahead.
«If you speak to most moderators, we wouldn’t let our children on the app,» said one moderator, who asked to remain anonymous. He spoke to Sky News at a protest outside the company’s UK headquarters.
At the time, TikTok told Sky News they «strongly reject these claims».
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