TIKTOK was accused of “backtracking” on its safety commitments by MPs today amid fresh TUC warnings against the social media platform’s plans to cut more than 400 moderator jobs at its London office.

Science, Innovation and Technology select committee chairwoman Dame Chi Onwurah MP told the company the job losses announced in August “bring into question” TikTok’s ability to protect users from harmful and misleading content.

She added: “TikTok seems to be backtracking on statements it made only half a year ago.

“They must provide clarity urgently and answer key questions about its changes to its content moderation process, otherwise, how can we have any confidence in their ability to properly moderate content and safeguard users?”

TikTok has until November 10 to respond. 

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak praised the committee for having “acted swiftly with its probe — now TikTok must explain how they are going to keep users safe if these cuts to safety-critical jobs go ahead.” 

He said: “It is time for TikTok to come clean. Time and time again they have been asked about the impact of these cuts on the safety of millions of Brits, and time and time again they have failed to provide a good enough answer.”

In an open letter to MPs earlier this month, the union federation said that TikTok is “looking to replace skilled UK workers with unproven AI-driven content moderation and with workers in places like Kenya or the Philippines who are subject to gruelling conditions [and] poverty pay.”

It warned this would make the platform less safe for up to 30 million TikTok users — including an estimated million children under the age of 13.

A TikTok spokesperson said: “As we laid out in our letter to the committee, we strongly reject these claims.

“This reorganisation of our global operating model for trust and safety will ensure we maximise effectiveness and speed in our moderation processes as we evolve this critical safety function for the company with the benefit of technological advancements.”