TikTok: Additional investment in the UK to build a new headquarters, creating 500 new jobs

TikTok announced on Monday (June 9th) that the group plans to increase its investment in the UK and create 500 new jobs. The UK is the largest user base of TikTok in Europe.

Agence France-Presse reported that this news coincided with the opening of London Technology Week. TikTok said in a statement: "TikTok's workforce in the UK will increase to 3,000 this year, creating over 500 new jobs."

TikTok also added that it is investing in building a new London office, which is expected to be put into use next year and will be much larger in scale than its current UK headquarters.

TikTok pointed out that this would bring TikTok's investment in UK infrastructure to approximately 140 million pounds.

The statement said that about half of the UK population (over 30 million people) use TikTok every month, making it the platform's "largest user base in Europe".

Prezer, Director of TikTok UK and Global Operations and Trust & Security Head, said: "Whether it's creating jobs and innovation through direct investment or the economic contributions made by millions of UK businesses on TikTok, we are very pleased to increase our investment and influence in the UK."

For many years, TikTok has been under the scrutiny of Western governments, who are worried that China might use personal data for espionage or propaganda.

Preser added, "The foundation of our continuous growth is our firm commitment to security and our dedication to creating a pleasant and secure digital space to sustainably support creators, entrepreneurs and the broader economy. This is also the reason why we are investing heavily in security."