TikTok is preparing to lay off hundreds of staff in London from its trust and safety department, according to a report in the Financial Times.
The cuts come as the UK’s Online Safety Act begins to take effect, imposing stricter requirements on international tech companies to prevent the spread of harmful content or risk heavy penalties.
Moderation and security jobs at risk
Staff in TikTok’s London trust and safety team received an internal email on Friday stating that moderation and quality assurance work would no longer be carried out at the UK site, the publication reported.
The company said it intends to automate more of that work using artificial intelligence.
According to the report, several hundred jobs could be affected across the UK as well as in South and Southeast Asia as part of a collective consultation process.
The move is tied to a broader global reorganisation of TikTok’s moderation functions.
The report cited the company’s email as saying the proposed changes aim to concentrate operational expertise in specific locations.
A town hall meeting was scheduled for the affected staff on Friday morning.
The Communication Workers Union told the financial publication that around 300 people work in TikTok’s London trust and safety department, with most expected to be impacted by the restructuring.
The UK Online Safety Act
The timing of the decision coincides with the enforcement of key provisions of the UK’s Online Safety Act, which requires companies to implement age checks for users attempting to access harmful content.
Firms that fail to comply with the law, or do not act swiftly to remove dangerous and illegal material, face penalties of up to £18 million or 10 per cent of global turnover, whichever is higher.
TikTok introduced new “age assurance” measures last month, in line with the new rules.
Similar to other platforms such as YouTube and Meta, TikTok has said it plans to use machine-learning tools to infer a user’s age based on site behaviour and interactions.
TikTok’s broader Europe plans
The report noted that the London cuts are part of a wider effort by ByteDance-owned TikTok to streamline its European operations.
The company is consolidating moderation work in regional hubs such as Dublin and Lisbon.
Earlier this month, TikTok announced the closure of its trust and safety team in Berlin.
The staff reductions come despite TikTok’s strong financial performance in the UK and Europe.
According to a UK regulatory filing, the company’s revenues grew 38 per cent year-on-year in 2024 to $6.3 billion.
Pre-tax losses narrowed to $485 million, down from $1.4 billion in 2023.
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