TikTok is set to lay off up to 300 workers, or approximately 10% of its Dublin workforce, as part of ongoing restructuring efforts. The Irish government has been informed of the decision, which will affect employees at TikTok’s largest European operation, located in the Irish capital.
A TikTok spokesperson stated that the company could not comment further due to the ongoing nature of the process. The planned cuts come after the social media giant had already informed staff last month of potential reductions, with the trust and safety divisions expected to bear the brunt of the layoffs.
The Communications Workers’ Union (CWU), which has been supporting TikTok staff, expressed concern over the extent of the job losses. Deputy General Secretary Ian McArdle urged TikTok to explore all options to minimize the number of compulsory redundancies. The CWU highlighted the growing union membership within Ireland’s tech sector as more workers see unionization as a safeguard against job cuts.
This announcement follows a turbulent period for TikTok, particularly in the United States, where the app faces national security scrutiny. U.S. lawmakers and judicial courts are pushing for a potential ban unless TikTok is separated from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. TikTok has denied these security concerns and is investing €12 billion in a European data center initiative, “Project Clover,” to keep user data separate from China.
In addition, the Irish Data Protection Commissioner is investigating whether TikTok violated EU data protection laws by transferring data between its European and Chinese operations.
TikTok’s move mirrors a broader trend in the tech sector, with other giants like Meta also reducing their workforce in Dublin. Earlier this year, Meta announced job cuts at its 2,000-strong Dublin office, citing performance issues. Meta has already reduced a third of its Irish workforce over the past two years.
As TikTok navigates these challenges, including regulatory scrutiny and internal restructuring, it remains to be seen how the company’s operations in Europe will evolve.
