The European Commission has launched a formal investigation into TikTok's handling of election-related content, specifically focusing on potential interference in Romania's presidential election.
The investigation follows allegations of "irregularities" on TikTok's platform during Romania's presidential election in November 2023, where ultranationalist candidate Călin Georgescu secured an unexpected victory in the first round. The election was later annulled by Romania's top court.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that serious indications of foreign actors interfering in the Romanian elections through TikTok prompted the investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The Commission's investigation will examine TikTok's recommendation systems for potential coordinated manipulation and automated exploitation. It will also scrutinize the platform's policies regarding political advertisements and paid political content.
Research organizations have identified concerning patterns of influencer campaigns and bot activities supporting Georgescu on the platform, which allegedly weren't adequately addressed by TikTok.
In response, TikTok has defended its practices, stating it has successfully protected platform integrity across more than 150 elections worldwide. A TikTok spokesperson emphasized that the platform prohibits paid political advertising and actively removes content that violates its policies on misinformation, harassment, and hate speech.
The Commission has ordered TikTok to preserve all data related to election risk management for a four-month period, from November 24 to March. This marks TikTok's third investigation under the DSA, with one previous investigation closed after the platform made commitments to the Commission, while another remains ongoing.
The investigation highlights growing concerns about social media platforms' role in electoral processes and the EU's commitment to protecting democratic integrity in the digital age.