EU Investigates TikTok’s Handling of Election Security Risks in Romania
The European Union has escalated its scrutiny of TikTok, opening a second formal investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This latest probe focuses on the platform’s role in mitigating election security risks during Romania’s recent presidential elections.
Key Focus Areas of the Investigation
- Recommender Systems: The EU will examine whether TikTok’s algorithms facilitated coordinated inauthentic behavior or automated exploitation.
- Political Content Policies: The probe includes TikTok’s handling of political advertisements and paid-for political content.
- Regional Risks: Investigators will assess whether TikTok adequately addressed linguistic and regional vulnerabilities in national elections.
Background and Context
The investigation follows a data retention order issued earlier this month, requiring TikTok to preserve election-related data from November 24, 2024, to March 31, 2025. This move highlights the EU’s growing concerns about election interference on digital platforms.
Declassified intelligence reports suggest TikTok failed to prevent fake accounts from amplifying pro-Russian, far-right content during Romania’s presidential election. The country’s top court later annulled the contested results.
EU’s Enforcement Powers and Potential Penalties
Under the DSA, platforms like TikTok must proactively mitigate risks to democratic processes. Non-compliance could result in fines of up to 6% of global turnover. While no fines have been issued yet, TikTok previously avoided penalties by agreeing to product changes in an earlier DSA case.
Statements from EU Leaders
Ursula von der Leyen, EU President:
“We must protect our democracies from any kind of foreign interference. Whenever we suspect such interference, especially during elections, we have to act swiftly and firmly.”
Henna Virkkunen, EVP for Tech Sovereignty: Expressed willingness to collaborate with TikTok to address concerns.
TikTok’s Response
In a statement, TikTok defended its election integrity efforts:
- Claimed to have safeguarded over 150 global elections.
- Detected and disrupted five covert networks targeting Romania’s election.
- Removed hundreds of thousands of fake accounts and millions of fake engagements.
- Highlighted its ban on paid political ads and proactive content moderation.
What’s Next?
The formal investigation grants the EU additional enforcement tools, including the power to impose interim measures if urgent risks are identified. The outcome could set a precedent for how tech giants are held accountable under the DSA.
For further details, refer to TikTok’s transparency report on its actions during the Romanian elections.
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