TikTok is expected to cut staff around the world, a further blow for the popular social video app, which is facing the threat of new legislation to ban the service in the United States if its Chinese owners don't sell.
The cuts are expected to affect employees working in content, marketing and user operations, according to The Information, a tech-focused news outlet that first reported on the impending layoffs. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Some U.S. leaders have expressed security concerns about TikTok and its parent company ByteDance's ties to China. ByteDance and TikTok said the new law “does not support the notion” that TikTok's Chinese ownership poses a national security risk.
An unnamed TikTok employee told CNN that the layoffs are unrelated to a possible ban in the United States.
The layoffs come as tech companies prepare to cut employees this year to cut costs and, in some cases, hire more people skilled in emerging artificial intelligence technologies.
It's unclear how many jobs will be cut at TikTok's U.S. headquarters in Culver City. TikTok employs about 500 people in Culver City, according to city data.
TikTok has launched a legal battle to stop the government from moving forward with a ban on the company's U.S. operations. The company sued the U.S. government and funded a separate legal challenge led by TikTok creators. Both petitions argued that banning or forcing the sale of the apps would violate the First Amendment's free speech protections.
