Quote from Alex bobby on July 24, 2025, 9:00 AM

TikTok Moderators in Germany Strike Over AI Replacing Jobs: “We Will Not Be Silenced”

In a rare and powerful move, TikTok content moderators and creator outreach staff in Germany have gone on strike to protest the company’s plans to replace human workers with artificial intelligence. The one-day strike, which took place in Berlin, marks the first-ever employee strike against a social media company in Germany—underscoring deep tensions between tech-driven efficiency and human rights in the digital workplace.

AI Replacing People, Not Just Posts

The strike follows TikTok parent company ByteDance’s decision to lay off roughly 150 employees in Germany as part of a restructuring effort. According to the trade union ver.di, the cuts disproportionately affect two key teams: the Trust and Safety department, responsible for content moderation and protecting users, and the Live team, which manages relationships with content creators.

In their place? AI systems—reportedly developed and trained in China—that ByteDance says will streamline workflows and improve operational efficiency. But workers and their union argue the shift is not just a matter of internal business optimisation; it’s a dangerous precedent that devalues human judgment, empathy, and cultural understanding.

Lucas Krentel, deputy regional head of ver.di’s media division, didn’t hold back in his criticism of the company: “It is disrespectful of TikTok to shirk all social responsibility and even refuse to negotiate with us,” he said. “Today, the employees are sending a clear signal that they will not accept this.”

A Strike on the Spree

Protesting workers made their presence known in Berlin by launching a symbolic boat tour down the Spree River, followed by a land-based rally later in the day. Demonstrators waved banners and chanted slogans calling for fair severance, transparency, and recognition of the mental and emotional toll their work entails.

Moderators, who are often exposed to graphic, violent, or psychologically disturbing content, say there roles require not only stamina and resilience but also culturally informed judgment—something no algorithm can replicate. “We don’t just screen content,” one employee noted. “We understand the context, and that context can mean the difference between protecting users or platform manipulation.”

What Do Workers Want?

The employees are demanding a collective bargaining agreement that includes:

• Severance packages worth three years’ salary
• An extension of employment for 12 months to allow time for transition
• Formal recognition of the mental burden associated with prolonged exposure to harmful or distressing content

Under Germany’s Dismissal Protection Act, laid-off workers are generally entitled to 50% of one month’s salary per year of service. But given TikTok’s massive profits and the complexity of moderation work, the union says more generous terms are warranted.

Ver.di also highlighted a looming humanitarian issue: many of the affected workers are non-German nationals, and losing their jobs may jeopardise their residency status. “These aren’t just job losses,” the union warned. “For many, this could mean losing their homes and their right to remain in the country.”

ByteDance Responds

In a statement to Euronews Next, TikTok said it is currently in discussion with a works council about consolidating operations to fewer locations. “We remain fully committed to protecting the safety and integrity of our platform as we're investing another $2 billion [€1.7 billion] in Trust and Safety this year,” the company said.

However, TikTok did not directly address the strike or the union’s claims about AI replacement or the dismissal of entire departments. Employees argue that the company’s silence on these issues only adds to the perception that ByteDance is putting profit ahead of people.

Risks of Replacing Humans with Algorithms

The striking workers—and their supporters—believe replacing human moderators with AI models trained outside of Europe opens the platform to new dangers, including:

• Cultural misinterpretation: AI may misidentify content or fail to understand local political, religious, or social contexts
• Manipulative campaigns: Without human oversight, AI could be more susceptible to organised disinformation or extremist propaganda
• Erosion of community trust: Moderators play a key role in user engagement and safety—removing them threatens the integrity of the platform

Moreover, workers in TikTok’s Live department say their outreach and guidance are “crucial for monetisation, reach, and community building,” all of which drive TikTok’s global success.

What’s Next?

Ver.di has made it clear: if ByteDance refuses to negotiate, a more extended strike could occur later this month. The union is calling for solidarity across the tech industry, hoping that TikTok's actions will trigger a broader conversation about AI, automation, and ethical employment in the digital economy.

“This is not just about jobs,” Krentel emphasised. “This is about dignity, fairness, and the future of how tech companies treat people.”

Final Thought

As AI continues to reshape the workplace, the strike by TikTok moderators in Germany is a reminder that progress must include people. Efficiency should not mean erasing empathy, and technology should enhance—not replace—the human insight that keeps digital communities safe. The voices of those on the frontlines deserve to be heard, not silenced by algorithms.

Conclusion

The strike by TikTok’s German moderators marks a pivotal moment in the global debate over automation, AI, and workers' rights. As tech companies like ByteDance pursue greater efficiency through artificial intelligence, the human cost of these decisions cannot be ignored. Moderators are not just filters—they are frontline defenders of platform integrity, mental health, and user safety. By standing up for fair treatment, transparency, and dignity, these workers are sending a powerful message: innovation must not come at the expense of the people who make platforms safe and functional. As the push for automation accelerates, the world will be watching how companies respond—not just with technology, but with humanity.

Meta Description:
TikTok moderators in Germany go on strike as AI threatens to replace their roles. Workers demand fair severance and warn of dangers in replacing human judgment with automation.