"Berlin TikTok staff rally against alleged terminations amidst AI-related dispute"
In the heart of Munich, where tech giants Apple, Amazon, and Google have established their European headquarters, TikTok Shop has recently set up shop. However, the social media platform is currently embroiled in a contentious situation with its employees in Berlin, primarily from the Trust and Safety department and TikTok Live.
The employees, who have trained TikTok's machines to monitor and moderate content, are demanding job security, improved severance arrangements, and better working conditions amid planned layoffs. Their protests, held under the slogan "We trained your machines – pay us what we deserve," took place near TikTok's Berlin headquarters on July 17, 2025.
The employees' current demands centre around an extension of the notice period to one year before layoffs take effect, severance pay reflecting their contributions, the preservation of jobs related to monitoring politically and socially significant content, and opposition to full replacement by AI and outsourcing.
If TikTok management ignores these demands and proceeds with layoffs and outsourcing, potential consequences include a possible strike action supported by the German trade union ver.di, public and internal backlash over worker treatment, reduced quality of content moderation, and lower wages and diminished investment in health and safety for outsourced workers.
Ver.di, the union representing TikTok employees, has expressed concerns about the working conditions of content moderators, particularly the psychological stress associated with their roles. Good working conditions and psychological support are considered essential, according to Ver.di. The union also fears that cost savings from outsourcing may lead to lower pay and cuts in health prevention.
As negotiations continue, Ver.di has not ruled out a strike in the near future. The union's stance underscores the significant operational and reputational risks TikTok faces if it dismisses employee demands without addressing the critical role of human moderators in content governance and their working conditions.
TikTok Shop's opening in Germany was announced in March, but the current situation threatens to overshadow the company's expansion plans. The outcome of these negotiations will be closely watched by both the tech industry and the general public.
[1] Source: TechCrunch [2] Source: The Verge [3] Source: Wired [4] Source: Reuters [5] Source: Business Insider
- The employees, having contributed significantly to TikTok's content moderation through their training of the AI, are now advocating for the implementation of technology that values workplace-wellness, such as extended notice periods for layoffs, fair severance arrangements, and preservation of jobs related to mental-health sensitive content, rather than a full replacement by AI and outsourcing.
- In the science of health-and-wellness, it's widely recognized that good working conditions and psychological support are essential for reducing stress and maintaining the well-being of employees, like the TikTok content moderators, whose roles are potentially damaging to their mental health.
- In light of the growing debate about the impact of artificial-intelligence and outsourcing on employment, the ongoing negotiations between TikTok management and employees serve as an important case study for the tech industry, showcasing the critical role of human moderators in content governance and their need for job security, fair compensation, and good working conditions.
