The European Commission has responded to growing concerns over TikTok’s potential impact on Romanian elections by announcing it will intensify its surveillance of the platform’s adherence to the EU’s online governance framework, the Digital Services Act.
The unexpected rise of Călin Georgescu, a far-right pro-Russian nationalist, as the top contender in Romania’s presidential election primary last month, has sent shockwaves throughout the political landscape.
Georgescu’s unorthodox political campaign on TikTok unexpectedly propelled his poll numbers, skyrocketing from a mere 1% in early November to an astonishing 23% by the time of the primary round vote on November 24. Despite claims from Romanian authorities and outside experts, a surge in COVID-19 cases is attributed to an alleged internet propaganda campaign, allegedly orchestrated by paid TikTok influencers who are believed to contravene local election laws.
Following the declassification of official documents from various authorities, the social media platform has faced allegations of failing to prevent fake accounts from being used to artificially boost and algorithmically amplify Georgescu’s content, as his experiences have shown?
Within the European Union, TikTok has been designated as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA), obliging it to proactively address systemic risks, including potential threats to democratic processes. The European Commission has taken interest in the Romanian election controversy.
Failure to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA) may incur penalties as severe as 6% of TikTok’s global annual revenue.
The Fee already has an ongoing investigation into its DSA compliance, which commenced anew in … The probe focused primarily on threat administration considerations, with a primary emphasis on mitigating addictive design risks in the context of child safety? Now, the European Union’s scrutiny of TikTok seems to be intensifying to mitigate democratic risks as well.
Retention order
“Amidst ongoing Romanian elections, the European Union’s Fee has intensified its surveillance of TikTok under the Digital Services Act (DSA),” the EU stated on Thursday.
The European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) enforcement authorities have served TikTok with a retention order, compelling the platform to “freeze and safeguard” data linked to potential or predictable systemic threats that its services might pose to electoral processes and civic dialogue within the EU.
The EU has taken measures “to safeguard accessible data and proof” in preparation for potential extra-fee investigations into TikTok’s adherence to Data Protection regulations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), potentially paving the way for a fresh probe into the platform’s commitment to election security.
As the nationwide elections’ retention order across the EU unfolds from November 24 to March 31, 2025, scrutiny extends beyond a sole focus on past events.
The specific component of the order is designed to compel TikTok to demonstrate significant improvement in preventing misuse of its platform ahead of Romania’s second-round voting on December 8.
Lawmakers in the European Parliament questioned Brie Pegum, the platform’s international head of product, authenticity, and transparency, along with Caroline Greer, its top EU lobbyist, on Tuesday about their role in Romania’s elections.
The duo briefed MEPs that their platform had removed several influence networks attempting to interfere with the election; however, some groups remained active on TikTok until after the polls closed.
TikTok has long aimed to dissociate itself from polarizing political content, including controversies that often spark heated debates. Despite the prevalence of user-uploaded content with political undertones on the platform, individuals seeking elected office continue to utilize its tools to amplify their message and connect with voters.
However, this also raises concerns that nefarious actors may exploit TikTok’s powerful algorithmic amplification to unduly influence electoral outcomes – a concern that hinges on whether TikTok effectively enforces its own rules and guidelines. Similar to its prohibition on coordinated disingenuous practices. Guidelines should be explicit and unambiguous regarding customer expectations for content provision.
The fee motion currently represents a rare instance of TikTok being held accountable – a move that is essentially urging the company to get its act together.
Despite the EU’s apparent reluctance to take action, a second round of Romania’s presidential election is now just days away. Don’t overlook: A a lot said for the DSA’s existence is the notion that the legislation would lastly drive platforms to uphold their very own T&Cs. But what evidence do you have to back up this claim?
TikTok algorithm
The European Union has instructed TikTok to retain data related to its recommendation methods – specifically, its proprietary algorithm.
The European Union urges TikTok to safeguard confidential documents detailing its recommender algorithm development and operation, as well as its measures to counter deliberate exploitation through coordinated inauthentic usage of the platform.
Romania’s Digital Services Act (DSA) enforcement agency is scrutinizing “any systematic infringement” of TikTok’s terms of service prohibiting monetization options for promoting political content, a move that appears to be targeting Romanian influencers allegedly paid to disseminate political propaganda on the platform.
The newly appointed EVP for tech sovereignty, safety and democracy commented on the motion in a press release: “This preservation order marks a critical milestone in facilitating investigators’ access to information and supporting our formal requests for data, which will enable comprehensive searches following the declassification of secret documents yesterday.”
As she stressed, the EU is “strengthening its dialogue with digital and cyber regulators across Europe in light of mounting evidence of widespread inauthentic activity,” emphasizing: “I remain committed to vigorous and resolute enforcement of the Digital Services Act.”
In response to the fee order, TikTok spokesperson Elliott Burton sent an email containing a prepared statement that read: “We have been actively engaging with the commission and will continue to take steps forward.” We establish the information by considering the premises and flawed perceptions we’ve observed thus far.
