TikTok has confirmed that it has replaced more than 700 content moderators in Malaysia with AI systems as part of its plans to automate content moderation. This is a sign that similar steps are being taken globally.
TikTok replaces security team with AI
Most of the employees who lost their jobs in Malaysia were tasked with manually checking videos on TikTok for compliance with community guidelines. The company says that AI can now correctly detect around 80% of violations without human intervention.
The company spokesperson said that the increased automation aims to speed up content review processes and manage user load. However, this has led to the loss of more than 700 jobs in Malaysia. Job losses due to automation are expected to occur in other countries as well.
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Tech companies are under pressure around the world, particularly to protect young users. Initiatives like the UK’s Online Safety Act and new US-UK guidelines are enforcing strict content rules.
While increased automation has helped TikTok moderate content at scale, it has also led to widespread job losses. It argues that human moderators are still important to protecting children, as social threats are a concern for children.
TikTok also said it will invest $2 billion in security measures this year. But the company’s move to an automated approach instead of human-driven content review could have both positive and negative consequences for users.
