Summary
- TikTok has started hiring for two positions in its Gurgaon office in India despite the ongoing ban of the app in the country.
- The new job openings are for the Trust and Safety division, including roles focused on content moderation and wellbeing operations.
- The Indian government has not lifted the ban on TikTok, and the app remains unavailable for download.
- The recruitment efforts indicate ByteDance’s continued interest in the Indian market and possible preparations for a future return.
Action Items
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TikTok's Status in India
- TikTok has been banned in India since June 2020 due to national security and data privacy concerns, following border tensions between India and China.
- The platform previously had nearly 200 million users in India and was a significant market for ByteDance.
- The app remains inaccessible on app stores; recent partial website availability does not indicate an official return as the government maintains the ban.
New Job Openings in India
- TikTok has posted two new vacancies for its Gurgaon office, both under the Trust and Safety division.
- Content Moderator (Bengali Speaker): Responsibilities include content monitoring, filtering harmful material, and ensuring adherence to platform guidelines. Requires fluency in Bengali and English, understanding of internet regulations and culture, and a graduate degree is preferred.
- Wellbeing Partnership and Operations Lead: A senior position focusing on developing and managing wellbeing initiatives for regional teams. Candidates should have a minimum of five years’ experience in project management and expertise in wellbeing data and compliance.
Implications and Market Outlook
- There has been no indication from the government of an imminent lifting of the ban or the app’s official return.
- Recent hiring is seen as a strategic move by ByteDance to retain a presence and maintain readiness to re-enter the Indian market if allowed in the future.
Decisions
- Continue Indian hiring despite ban — TikTok/ByteDance is maintaining limited operations and readiness in India, possibly to facilitate a quick restart if regulations change.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
- Will the Indian government reconsider or clarify its position on TikTok’s ban in the near future?
- Are there additional steps ByteDance is taking to address the concerns that led to the original ban?