The EU's inquiry comes after intelligence revealed the sudden activation of TikTok accounts promoting a far-right candidate, raising concerns over election integrity and foreign influence in democratic processes.
EU Launches Investigation into TikTok Over Alleged Election Interference in Romania
EU Launches Investigation into TikTok Over Alleged Election Interference in Romania
The European Commission investigates TikTok for potential foreign meddling in Romania’s presidential election after suspicious account activations.
The European Union's executive branch has initiated a formal investigation into TikTok amid serious allegations of foreign interference in Romania's presidential election. This situation escalated when intelligence documents indicated that 25,000 TikTok accounts were activated shortly before the first round of voting, aiming to support Calin Georgescu, an independent candidate known for his far-right leanings.
Georgescu has drawn attention for his controversial statements, including praising Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "patriot and a leader," even as he claimed to not endorse him. The second-round election was canceled earlier in the month as authorities scrutinized the sudden activity of these social media accounts, which were not marked as political advertising — a violation of Romanian electoral laws.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the necessity of safeguarding democracies from foreign intervention, stating, "Whenever we suspect such interference, especially during elections, we must act swiftly and firmly." The EU will assess if TikTok's advertising policies and recommendation systems contravene the Digital Services Act (DSA), designed to curb misinformation and illegal content spread online.
Despite Moscow's denial of involvement, Romanian intelligence identified the country as a significant target and noted that Georgescu's campaign primarily leveraged TikTok for outreach. TikTok has strongly refuted the claims of bias favoring Georgescu, asserting that it strictly abides by regulations prohibiting paid political advertisements while maintaining mechanisms for organic posts.
Moreover, the EU investigation will delve into risks posed by TikTok's algorhythmic technology, which tailors user content based on interactions. On December 5, the EU mandated TikTok to retain internal documents that clarify its recommendation methodologies and any safeguards against deliberate manipulations during national elections in the EU, which will include Romania, Ireland, and Croatia.
This investigation will run concurrently with another probe regarding TikTok's compliance with the DSA, particularly concerning harmful content and the protection of minors. Following the first round of voting, Romanian intelligence officials highlighted a "highly organized" social media campaign that significantly boosted Georgescu's visibility, despite differing opinions in polling against reformist candidate Elena Lasconi prior to the run-off's cancellation.
Georgescu’s platform notably involved advocating against military and political support for Ukraine, alongside promoting various conspiracy theories.
As the EU prioritizes this investigation, the implications of foreign meddling in social media-driven election campaigns may ignite further debates about the integrity of digital platforms in influencing democratic processes across Europe.
Georgescu has drawn attention for his controversial statements, including praising Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "patriot and a leader," even as he claimed to not endorse him. The second-round election was canceled earlier in the month as authorities scrutinized the sudden activity of these social media accounts, which were not marked as political advertising — a violation of Romanian electoral laws.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the necessity of safeguarding democracies from foreign intervention, stating, "Whenever we suspect such interference, especially during elections, we must act swiftly and firmly." The EU will assess if TikTok's advertising policies and recommendation systems contravene the Digital Services Act (DSA), designed to curb misinformation and illegal content spread online.
Despite Moscow's denial of involvement, Romanian intelligence identified the country as a significant target and noted that Georgescu's campaign primarily leveraged TikTok for outreach. TikTok has strongly refuted the claims of bias favoring Georgescu, asserting that it strictly abides by regulations prohibiting paid political advertisements while maintaining mechanisms for organic posts.
Moreover, the EU investigation will delve into risks posed by TikTok's algorhythmic technology, which tailors user content based on interactions. On December 5, the EU mandated TikTok to retain internal documents that clarify its recommendation methodologies and any safeguards against deliberate manipulations during national elections in the EU, which will include Romania, Ireland, and Croatia.
This investigation will run concurrently with another probe regarding TikTok's compliance with the DSA, particularly concerning harmful content and the protection of minors. Following the first round of voting, Romanian intelligence officials highlighted a "highly organized" social media campaign that significantly boosted Georgescu's visibility, despite differing opinions in polling against reformist candidate Elena Lasconi prior to the run-off's cancellation.
Georgescu’s platform notably involved advocating against military and political support for Ukraine, alongside promoting various conspiracy theories.
As the EU prioritizes this investigation, the implications of foreign meddling in social media-driven election campaigns may ignite further debates about the integrity of digital platforms in influencing democratic processes across Europe.
