SINGAPORE, Feb 21 — TikTok has laid off at least a dozen employees in Singapore as part of a global restructuring of its trust and safety team, The Straits Times has learned.

The move is part of a broader effort to streamline operations and align with long-term growth plans.

Employees were informed of the layoffs on February 20, with those affected having their access cut off just an hour after receiving the notice.

Similar job cuts have been reported across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the US, sources familiar with the matter said.

An internal e-mail seen by ST stated that the restructuring followed months of careful consideration, aiming to improve operational efficiency and better meet business needs.

While some employees retained their roles, others were immediately let go.

Among those affected was trust and safety product manager Eric Tan, who shared on LinkedIn that he “woke up to the sobering news” of his redundancy.

A TikTok employee for over three years, he described the layoffs as a painful blow, particularly given his strong belief in the work he was doing.

“This wave of layoffs impacted multiple departments across trust and safety, including some really bright and passionate individuals I have come to know,” he said.

“The news of the layoffs stung, because deep down in my heart I knew I was meant to be there.”

TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi testified before the US Senate Judiciary Committee in January 2024, stating that the company employed more than 40,000 professionals globally in trust and safety roles.

At the time, he also revealed plans to invest over US$2 billion (RM8.8 billion) in trust and safety efforts, with a significant portion allocated to US operations.

It remains unclear how many of these employees were based in Singapore or whether the recent job cuts extended beyond the trust and safety team.

TikTok has yet to respond to queries about the layoffs.

When ST visited its Singapore office at One Raffles Quay around noon on February 20, employees were seen heading out for lunch in groups, many appearing upbeat.

Several declined to comment on the situation.

This round of layoffs follows previous global workforce reductions by TikTok.

In May 2024, the company reportedly planned to cut a substantial portion of its 1,000-strong global user, content, and marketing teams.

In October 2024, TikTok laid off hundreds of employees worldwide, including a significant number in Malaysia, as it shifted towards AI-driven content moderation.

As of February 20, ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, had more than 380 job openings and internship positions listed in Singapore.

The company, which employs over 150,000 people across nearly 120 cities, has not indicated if further job cuts are expected.

In response to the layoffs, members of Singapore’s tech community have extended support to affected employees.

IMDA director Jamin Tan, a former TikTok employee, urged employers to consider hiring those impacted, noting vacancies in data protection at his organisation.

Although TikTok Singapore is a non-unionised company, some affected employees are members of the NTUC-affiliated Tech Talent Assembly, which has offered assistance to those in need.

A former TikTok employee who left before the latest layoffs said the move caught some staff off guard but was expected by others, given the broader trend of tech industry job cuts.

The layoffs mirror recent retrenchments across the sector.

In February, Meta conducted job cuts spanning multiple countries, including Singapore, affecting roles in engineering, partnerships, global business operations, and policy.

The company had previously announced plans to cut 5 per cent of its workforce — about 3,600 jobs globally.