Senior Conservative figures are demanding an urgent government investigation into TikTok's sudden decision to slash jobs across its UK operations, raising serious national security concerns about the Chinese-owned social media giant.
Former Cabinet minister Sir Iain Duncan Smith has joined forces with Security Minister Tom Tugendhat to call for immediate scrutiny of the mass redundancies, warning they could represent "economic coercion" by Beijing.
Political Pressure Mounts
The dramatic intervention comes after TikTok confirmed plans to cut approximately 60 positions from its London workforce as part of a global restructuring effort. The company maintains these are routine business adjustments, but politicians suspect more sinister motives.
Sir Iain didn't mince words, telling The Mirror: "This should be properly investigated. We know the Chinese Communist Party uses economic coercion regularly." He emphasised that TikTok's connection to China through its parent company ByteDance creates inherent security risks.
Security Minister's Concerns
Tom Tugendhat echoed these apprehensions, stating he's "very concerned" about the job cuts and their potential implications for UK security. "We need to understand exactly why these jobs are being cut and what it means for Britain's digital sovereignty," he added.
The ministers' demands highlight growing bipartisan anxiety about Chinese technology companies' influence in critical UK infrastructure and the broader digital economy.
TikTok's Defence
In response to the backlash, a TikTok spokesperson defended the company's position: "We have a clear separation from our Beijing-based parent company and these job reductions are purely business decisions to streamline our operations globally."
The company maintains that user data remains protected and that it operates independently of Chinese government influence, though scepticism in Westminster continues to grow.
Broader Implications
This controversy emerges against the backdrop of ongoing global debates about TikTok's operations. The United States has already implemented partial bans on the platform across government devices, while the European Parliament has taken similar precautions.
As the UK government weighs its response, the TikTok job cuts have become a flashpoint in wider discussions about foreign technology ownership, data security, and economic independence in an increasingly digital world.
