UPDATED 20:50 EST / DECEMBER 17 2024

POLICY

EU opens probe into TikTok over possible Russian interference in Romanian election

Regulators in the European Union today announced they’ve opened an investigation into TikTok for possible breaches of the Digital Services Act, DSA, by failing to prevent foreign interference in the recent Romanian presidential election.

The second round of the vote didn’t go through earlier this month after intelligence showed that 25,000 TikTok accounts suddenly became activated just weeks before polls opened. All these accounts were in support of the far-right outsider independent candidate Calin Georgescu, who it’s believed could have the backing of Moscow. Georgescu wants to end Romanian support for the war in Ukraine.

“Following serious indications that foreign actors interfered in the Romanian presidential elections by using TikTok, we are now thoroughly investigating whether TikTok has violated the Digital Services Act by failing to tackle such risks,” European Commission President Ursula on der Leyen said in a press release. “It should be crystal clear that in the EU, all online platforms, including TikTok, must be held accountable.”

The regulators will assess TikTok’s recommender systems to ascertain if they can be exploited by bad actors. They will also look at TikTok’s “policies on political advertisements and paid-for political content.”

After Georgescu topped the polls, despite being an outsider among 13 candidates, declassified files alleged that there had been an “aggressive promotion campaign” behind him on TikTok, including payments of around $381,000 to influencers to promote him. Romanian intelligence said this was a “highly organized” and “guerrilla” campaign from accounts whose message was identical.

TikTok has said Romanian authorities had been in contact over a number of videos that “lacked identifiers” but says it took action on those within 24 hours.

“TikTok has provided the European Commission with extensive information regarding these efforts, and we have transparently and publicly detailed our robust actions,” the company said in a statement, adding that it has “protected the integrity” of its platform regarding the 150 global elections. The company added it doesn’t accept paid political ads and “proactively” takes down content for violating its policies on misinformation.

If the investigation reveals breaches of DSA, TikTok could be looking at a fine as high as 6% of its global annual revenue. That would further establish 2024 as the year from hell for the company, which is still fighting to exist in the U.S. and is dealing with another DSA probe into its possible failure to protect children on its platform.

Photo: Unsplash

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