It may seem that TikTok’s operations are fully automated. It’s well-known that the TikTok algorithms determine what videos to show users in their feeds, and the rest of the social media platform appears to have been designed to work without human intervention.
That’s largely true, but there are humans in the picture. They’re known as moderators, usually shortened to “mods.” Even though they work behind the scenes, the system depends on mods for several important functions.
There are two categories of TikTok mods, and they work in very different roles. Let’s learn more.
TikTok Content Moderators
Many TikTok users are surprised when they learn that tens of thousands of people work as content moderators for the app.
However, these mods don’t just scroll through feeds at a leisurely pace, making sure there are no violations of TikTok’s terms and conditions and Community Standards while they enjoy the content. They have high-pressure jobs, with supervisors constantly watching them and judging how well they perform.
Most are given a never-ending list of TikTok posts that have been flagged by the system’s bots or reported by other users. Mods have to rapidly review the content on those lists and make fast decisions on whether the videos violate the platform’s rules and how serious the offenses are.
When we say “rapidly,” we’re not kidding. One report found that mods have just 48 seconds to watch a 60-second video and review its description, so they have to do a lot of their viewing at double speed. After the 48 seconds are over, they’d better be on to the next questionable post or their supervisors (known as “advisors”) will be breathing down their necks.
In short, being a TikTok content mod is a stressful job that’s more like working on an assembly line than working at a fun, creative, loosey-goosey tech company. It reportedly pays between $20 and $50 per hour, there’s a rigorous application and training process, and lots of people wash out quickly.
Some mods are eventually promoted to be advisors (who are paid more), but it can take a long period of watching problematic videos on fast-forward to get to that point. If you’re interested, applications are available at careers.tiktok.com
TikTok Live Moderators
On the positive side, Live mods have a much more relaxed and enjoyable job. On the negative side, most don’t get paid.
These mods help TikTok influencers and popular content creators administer their streams on TikTok Live, and you don’t get one of these mod jobs by submitting a formal application. Live hosts select their own mods — and most of them turn out to be friends or acquaintances. Only the most successful creators pay their moderators.
Live mods are responsible for warning viewers who use inappropriate language or behave improperly, and muting or blocking them if required. They also make sure that “sensitive” topics aren’t discussed, and answer any questions that individual users may have during the stream.
In most TikTok Live sessions, few issues need to be addressed, making “Live moderator” sort of a plum job. But since it’s essentially unpaid work, the mods are worth every penny they’re paid. They’re not given free rein, though. Both bots and human TikTok employees periodically monitor Live streams; mods (and even hosts) can be penalized if they don’t maintain control.
Interested in becoming a Live mod? Good luck; you’ll probably have to make friends with a creator who runs Live sessions. And if you’re going to go to that much effort, maybe you should consider hosting your own streams instead.
About the Author
Peter Hasselworth is a contributor at iDigic, sharing valuable insights about Instagram growth and social media marketing strategies.