TikTok Gasses Seattle-Area Workers as Company Faces Uncertainty

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The WA State Employment Security Department issued a WARN Alert, about layoffs at TikTok in Seattle and Bellevue. WARN stands for Worker Adjustment Retaining Notification.

ByteDance to le tgo 65

Since 2021, TikTok has expanded its footprint in Bellevue after taking hold there, as Geekwire reports, in Amazon's home turf. They have about 1,000 Bellevue-area workers.

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The TikTok Store is letting go of 38, while ByteDance 27. The Tiktok Store is an e-commerce feature that's inside the app that allows users to make direct purchases from vendors inside the app, not unlike Amazon. However, it combines social media with the store feature.

A Spokesman told Geekwire they regularly review their operations to ensure "long-term success." However, the app is facing a still uncertain future with US ownership deadlines looming. That, coupled with the parent company's ties to the CCP or Chinese Community Party have somewhat clouded its future.

The reason for the ownership change in the US is in part because evidence shows users data was viewed by China, in violation of US and even European digital privacy laws.

According to Geekwire:

"TikTok has recently cut workers from its U.S. e-commerce unit across three rounds of layoffs since April, Bloomberg reported last week, noting that TikTok has replaced some staff near Seattle with managers connected to China."

Bloomberg reports the TikTok Shop is the company's fastest-growing business, although it's failed to meet recent growth goals.

The app has also come under fire numerous times for controversial and even dangerous challenges, including the 2022 USB cable hotwire car theft challenge. That led to a recall of numerous Hyundai and Kia models for security upgrades, and some auto insurers even now won't cover those vehicles. Auto theft rates for those cars skyrocketed including in WA state.