TikTok, a leading short-form video platform, has begun a round of layoffs, impacting around 60 employees. These layoffs predominantly affect the sales and advertising division. Staff from various U.S. offices, including Los Angeles, New York, and Austin, as well as international locations, are affected. The company’s spokesperson attributed these layoffs to routine reorganization. However, insiders hint at cost-cutting measures being a significant factor.
Wider Layoff Trend in the Tech Sector
This move by TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is part of a broader trend within the tech industry. ByteDance has previously conducted substantial layoffs at Nuverse, the developer of Marvel Snap. TikTok itself reduced its workforce in mid-2022 and early 2023, focusing on its Dublin recruitment staff. Although the recent layoffs represent a small percentage of ByteDance’s 150,000 global workforce, they are a significant indicator of the tech sector’s challenges.
Other tech giants like Google and Amazon are on a similar path. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has advised employees to prepare for downsizing, aiming to streamline operations and increase efficiency. Similarly, Amazon plans to lay off about five per cent of its Buy with Prime division staff as part of a broader optimization strategy.
These industry-wide workforce adjustments have also affected Amazon’s subsidiary, Twitch. Earlier this year, Twitch experienced a significant layoff round, impacting over 500 employees, as part of efforts to streamline operations and improve business efficiency.
