The announcement comes as the company faces mounting criticism of its handling of user data and its ties to China through its parent company, ByteDance.
“These are well-paying jobs that will help us continue to build a safe and fun experience and protect the privacy of our community,” a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement provided to CNN on Tuesday.
TikTok said that this year it has already tripled its workforce in the US, and that the new jobs will be located in California, Texas, Florida and New York, focusing on areas including sales, content moderation, engineering and customer service. . The announcement was first reported by Axios.
The works ad is part of a larger defense game that TikTok has been playing to respond to politicians’ accusations that TikTok poses a risk to national security. The move also appears to follow a tried and true playbook for tech companies: When under fire, boost job creation potential.
Lawmakers, including Senators Chuck Schumer, Tom Cotton, and Josh Hawley, worry that the company’s user data may eventually reach the Chinese government. TikTok has said it stores its user data from the US nationwide and in backups in Singapore, and cybersecurity experts have previously told CNN that national security fears have not been proven by evidence.
The Trump administration has said it is “analyzing” the ban on the popular video app in the US, although it is unclear how it can be carried out in practice. On Monday, House lawmakers voted 336-71 to ban TikTok from US government devices The vote on the proposal took place as part of a vote on a package of amendments to the Defense Authorization Act National.
TikTok has taken other steps to distance itself from China. It recently hired an American CEO and confirmed that its parent company is considering corporate restructuring, including the establishment of a headquarters for video application outside of China. In Washington, the company has expanded its policy and lobbying team and met with approximately 50 offices of Congress. TikTok also publishes a weekly policy bulletin that the company says is aimed at hundreds of policymakers and their staff.
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