Overview

• TikTok has laid off members of its U.S.-based e-commerce governance and experience team, which oversees marketplace safety and seller compliance for TikTok Shop.
• The layoffs are part of broader restructuring efforts following underperformance in the e-commerce division and previous cuts to the global trust and safety team earlier this year.
• Top executive Bob Kang criticized the e-commerce team in February, citing low performance, which led to performance improvement plans and exits prior to the layoffs.
• The job cuts come shortly after President Trump extended the deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok's U.S. operations, adding to uncertainty about the company's future in the U.S.
• The total scale of the layoffs remains unclear, reflecting ongoing challenges as TikTok navigates internal restructuring and external geopolitical pressures.