TikTok Starts Hiring in India Despite Ban
In a surprising move, popular short-video sharing app TikTok has begun hiring for various roles in its Gurugram office, sparking speculation about its potential return to the Indian market. The news comes after reports emerged that TikTok’s website was accessible to some users in India, leading many to wonder if the ban had been lifted. However, the government has clarified that TikTok remains banned in the country.
According to two LinkedIn postings, TikTok is looking for candidates for the positions of “Content Moderator (Bengali Speaker)” and “Wellbeing Partnership and Operations Lead”. These roles are a significant departure from the usual developer and engineering positions that the company typically advertises.
The Content Moderator (Bengali Speaker) position requires the candidate to have a strong understanding of Bengali culture and language, as well as the ability to moderate content in the Bengali language. This suggests that TikTok may be planning to focus on the Bengali-speaking region in India, where the app has a significant following.
The Wellbeing Partnership and Operations Lead role, on the other hand, involves managing partnerships with organizations focused on mental health and wellbeing, as well as overseeing operations related to user safety and security. This position implies that TikTok is committed to prioritizing user safety and wellbeing, which has been a major concern for the platform in the past.
While these job postings may seem innocuous, they raise several questions about TikTok’s intentions in India. Is the company planning to relaunch its app in the country, or is it simply looking to establish a presence for other reasons? The answers to these questions remain unclear, but the fact that TikTok is hiring for these roles suggests that the company is committed to expanding its operations in India.
So, what does this mean for TikTok users in India? If the company does plan to relaunch its app in the country, it could be a significant development for the millions of users who have been eagerly waiting for its return. However, if TikTok’s intentions are more limited, it may simply be establishing a presence in the country for other reasons, such as managing its existing user base or exploring new business opportunities.
The Indian government banned TikTok in June 2020, citing concerns over the app’s impact on children and young adults. The ban was implemented following a report by the Indian government’s IT ministry, which found that the app was promoting “unhealthy” and “obscene” content, and was also a potential threat to national security.
Despite the ban, TikTok has continued to operate in India, albeit in a limited capacity. The app has been available on the Google Play Store, and users have been able to access it through VPNs and other workarounds.
The news of TikTok’s hiring in India comes as the company faces increased scrutiny over its handling of user data and content moderation. In recent months, the app has been accused of failing to effectively moderate harmful and offensive content, and has faced numerous lawsuits and regulatory actions around the world.
In response to these concerns, TikTok has implemented several new measures aimed at improving its content moderation and user safety policies. These measures include the creation of a new “Trust and Safety Council” to oversee content moderation, as well as the implementation of new AI-powered tools to help detect and remove harmful content.
Despite these efforts, the company still faces significant challenges in terms of ensuring user safety and security. The hiring of Content Moderators and Wellbeing Partnership and Operations Leads in India suggests that TikTok is committed to addressing these concerns, and is taking steps to establish a more robust and effective moderation system.
In conclusion, while the news of TikTok’s hiring in India may be a significant development for the company and its users, it is still unclear what this means for the future of the app in the country. If TikTok does plan to relaunch its app in India, it will be a major coup for the company, which has been banned in the country for over a year. However, if the company’s intentions are more limited, it may simply be establishing a presence in the country for other reasons.
One thing is certain, however: TikTok’s hiring in India is a significant step forward for the company, and suggests that it is committed to expanding its operations in the country. Whether this means a full-scale relaunch of the app or simply a limited presence, only time will tell.
Source: https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/tiktok-is-hiring-for-indian-operations-what-we-know/story
