Strike at Tiktok: Employees fight against AI takeover in Berlin!

Strike at Tiktok: Employees fight against AI takeover in Berlin!

On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, Tiktok employees organized a one -day warning strike for the first time in Germany. The call to strike was called up by the Verdi union, which supports the colleagues in their demand to improve working conditions and prevent dismissals. The planned actions include a boat tour via the Spree and a strike rally, which is to take place on land at 12:30 p.m. On this first strike of a social media company in Germany, the reason lies in the worrying plans of Tikok to replace the content moderators for German-language countries with artificial intelligence (AI) and to award the work to external service providers.

The measures not only affect employees who are responsible for the moderation of content, but also the Trust and Safety department, which affects around 150 employees. These face possible dismissals, while around 15 employees from the TikTok-Live area also fear for their positions. According to the union, around 70 percent of the employees are unionized, and a works council has already been founded in order to better represent the interests of employees.

demands of the striking

The striking employees require a severance payment of three annual salaries and an extension of the notice period by twelve months for those affected. Despite repeated requests for the negotiation, Tikok's management has not yet responded to the claims. Verdi sees the need to establish a social collective agreement in order to maintain the rights of the employees and ensure that their concerns are heard. The demands are part of a larger context in which more and more unions, such as a study by University of Europe shows, negotiations on the effects of AI and algorithmic management record.

A content presenter who worked in an external company recently reported on the poor working conditions and was faced with the threat of termination without notice. With the support of Verdi, he was able to successfully defend his position before the labor court. This Situation illustrates the challenges that employees face in content moderation. Many of them report extreme stress that leads to mental illnesses.

public opinion and regulatory measures

In broader society, there is growing awareness and concern about working conditions in the digital economy. A survey by the Technical University of Munich and the University of Oxford showed that a majority of Germans wish to restrict problematic content on social media. 86 percent of the respondents support the deletion of hatred on the net. This shows that the public recognizes the need for such changes.

In addition, Tiktok is criticized for concerns about data protection, youth protection, espionage and censorship. Data protection officers already submitted a complaint against the company in several EU countries in 2022. In view of these circumstances, it becomes clear that a reform of working conditions as well as the regulatory measures is necessary to strengthen the rights of the content moderators and comply with legal standards.