Concerns arise as thousands of accounts were activated supporting a far-right candidate, sparking allegations of illegal campaign practices.
EU Launches Investigation into TikTok Over Foreign Interference in Romanian Elections
EU Launches Investigation into TikTok Over Foreign Interference in Romanian Elections
The European Commission is probing TikTok for possible manipulation linked to Russia in the recent Romanian presidential election.
The European Union's executive body has initiated a formal investigation into TikTok amid "serious indications" of foreign interference in the Romanian presidential elections, particularly involving the Russian government. This scrutiny followed the suspension of the second round of voting earlier this month after intelligence reports indicated that around 25,000 TikTok accounts had been rapidly activated just weeks before the election's first round. These accounts predominantly endorsed Calin Georgescu, an obscure far-right independent candidate sympathetic to Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite Georgescu's denial of being an admirer.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the importance of shielding democratic processes from foreign manipulation. The EU regulators will evaluate whether TikTok's advertising practices and user-content recommendation systems violate the Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to curb disinformation and illegal online behaviors. "Whenever we suspect such interference, especially during elections, we must act swiftly and firmly," stated von der Leyen, asserting the need for accountability across all online platforms, including TikTok.
Georgescu’s campaign heavily relied on TikTok for outreach, and allegations have surfaced of Russian activities due to Romania's strategic significance as a NATO member state. Charges have emerged that TikTok content supporting Georgescu was not marked as election-related, which is against Romanian law. Notably, one account significantly contributed over $381,000 on posts for Georgescu, who has denied direct involvement in financial transactions on the platform. TikTok has strongly refuted claims of improper favoring of Georgescu's account, asserting that all users are treated equally and that it quickly acted upon Romanian authorities’ concerns regarding unmarked election content.
The investigation will also focus on risks associated with TikTok's algorithm, which curates personalized content on users' "For You" pages based on their engagement and interests. Furthermore, the EU has mandated TikTok to retain internal documents crucial for understanding how it recommends content, and for identifying measures to prevent "intentional manipulation" related to any national elections in the EU scheduled from late November 2024 until March 2025.
As the EU prioritizes this investigation, it is running parallel to another inquiry into TikTok's potential violations of the DSA regarding harmful content and protections for minors. Romanian intelligence previously indicated that Georgescu's unexpected rise in popularity resulted from a "highly organised" social media campaign, with numerous accounts disseminating identical messages. Before the run-off was unexpectedly halted, Georgescu was neck-and-neck with reformist candidate Elena Lasconi. His campaign has taken controversial stands, including an end to political and military support for Ukraine, while he has propagated conspiracy theories, dismissing events like the moon landings and the COVID-19 pandemic as fabrications.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the importance of shielding democratic processes from foreign manipulation. The EU regulators will evaluate whether TikTok's advertising practices and user-content recommendation systems violate the Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to curb disinformation and illegal online behaviors. "Whenever we suspect such interference, especially during elections, we must act swiftly and firmly," stated von der Leyen, asserting the need for accountability across all online platforms, including TikTok.
Georgescu’s campaign heavily relied on TikTok for outreach, and allegations have surfaced of Russian activities due to Romania's strategic significance as a NATO member state. Charges have emerged that TikTok content supporting Georgescu was not marked as election-related, which is against Romanian law. Notably, one account significantly contributed over $381,000 on posts for Georgescu, who has denied direct involvement in financial transactions on the platform. TikTok has strongly refuted claims of improper favoring of Georgescu's account, asserting that all users are treated equally and that it quickly acted upon Romanian authorities’ concerns regarding unmarked election content.
The investigation will also focus on risks associated with TikTok's algorithm, which curates personalized content on users' "For You" pages based on their engagement and interests. Furthermore, the EU has mandated TikTok to retain internal documents crucial for understanding how it recommends content, and for identifying measures to prevent "intentional manipulation" related to any national elections in the EU scheduled from late November 2024 until March 2025.
As the EU prioritizes this investigation, it is running parallel to another inquiry into TikTok's potential violations of the DSA regarding harmful content and protections for minors. Romanian intelligence previously indicated that Georgescu's unexpected rise in popularity resulted from a "highly organised" social media campaign, with numerous accounts disseminating identical messages. Before the run-off was unexpectedly halted, Georgescu was neck-and-neck with reformist candidate Elena Lasconi. His campaign has taken controversial stands, including an end to political and military support for Ukraine, while he has propagated conspiracy theories, dismissing events like the moon landings and the COVID-19 pandemic as fabrications.
