European Commission requests TikTok information on Romanian election interference
The European Commission requested information from TikTok regarding its algorithms and risk management practices related to Romania's 2024 presidential election, following concerns about potential election interference and inauthentic amplification of a far-right candidate's campaign.
What happened
The European Commission sent TikTok an information request under the Digital Services Act (DSA) on 29 November 2024 regarding the platform's algorithms in the context of Romania's presidential election campaign.
The Commission requested detailed information about how TikTok analysed and mitigated risks of inauthentic or automated use of its service and risks associated with its recommendation systems. The Commission also asked for information on TikTok's efforts to enable third-party public monitoring and data access to identify systemic risks related to electoral processes.
TikTok was required to provide the requested information by 13 December 2024, after which the Commission stated it would determine whether further steps were warranted.
Reported impact
Romania's pro-Russian, ultra-right presidential candidate Călin Georgescu secured first place in the first round of voting on 24 November 2024, largely conducting his campaign on TikTok where his videos received hundreds of thousands of shares.
Romania's State Defence Council reported evidence of cyberattacks aimed at influencing the electoral process and stated that Romania is a key target for hostile actions by state and non-state actors, particularly Russia.
Index analysis
This request follows an earlier inquiry sent to TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube on 2 October regarding the development and operation of their recommendation systems in connection with elections.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.