Following the social media giant’s announcement of planned worldwide layoffs in June 2024, several staff members on the TikTok African team were let go. According to someone who knows the situation, the ByteDance-owned company eliminated a few positions from the African team in March before informing staff members about the impending layoffs in May.
According to the same source, June’s layoffs affected marketing, trust, safety team workers, and content operations. They also stated that additional layoffs are anticipated in the third quarter of 2024.
Read also: TikTok recognizes African content creators
Majority of the layoffs from Nigeria and South Africa
Over half of the African team based in South Africa and Nigeria was impacted, according to two people who worked on both teams, though the number of job losses was unknown. Someone reported there were at least 100 members on the African team.
TikTok declined to comment on this report or any of its details.
One individual familiar with the company disagreed with the framing that numerous newspapers used to link the layoffs to the company’s regulatory issues in the US when President Joe Biden signed a measure requiring China-based ByteDance to sell TikTok within nine months or face prohibition across the US.
“The modifications are not a response to anything,” stated one executive who wished to remain anonymous due to lack of authority to discuss the subject. “It involves continuously evaluating the business and implementing the required adjustments.”
The Information claims that this is TikTok’s biggest layoff to date. According to the same newspaper, smaller team reorganisations are usually preferred. However, TikTok is not the only company undergoing these radical adjustments. Despite their insistence on continuing to invest in Africa, Meta and Microsoft have also trimmed the size of their African staff.
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TikTok recognises African content creators
The top platform for short-form videos recently unveiled its first Visionary Voices List for Africa, honouring 15 people advancing creativity and cultural representation throughout the region.
The list showcases noteworthy contributions to African music, arts, entertainment, and cultural diversity. It is divided into three categories: creators, small-owned enterprises, and industry disruptors.
In a recent statement, TikTok claimed that the honour validated its dedication to enabling African innovators, entrepreneurs, and creators and its part in influencing the continent’s digital landscape.
The creators’ category honours those whose captivating and dynamic material has captured audiences’ attention.
These innovators, who range from comedians and sports fans to dancers, are raising the bar for what can be accomplished on the platform.
TikTok recognises company owners who use the platform to highlight their distinctive goods and services in the small-owned enterprises category.