European Commission Launches Investigation Against TikTok over Election Interference in Romania
The European Commission has opened formal proceedings against TikTok in relation to the social network's obligation to properly assess and mitigate systemic risks related to the integrity of elections, in particular in the context of the recent Romanian presidential elections on 24 November, in accordance with the Digital Services Act. The Commission noted that the Digital Services Act (DSA) does not set a time limit for the completion of the investigation, and the duration will depend on the complexity of the case and TikTok's cooperation with the Commission.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen emphasised that protecting democracy is a priority for the EU.
‘We must protect our democracies from any kind of foreign interference. When we suspect such interference, especially during elections, we must act quickly and firmly. Following serious indications that foreign actors interfered in the Romanian presidential election through TikTok, we are now scrutinising whether TikTok has breached the Digital Services Act by failing to manage such risks. It must be absolutely clear that all online platforms, including TikTok, must be held accountable in the EU,’ von der Leyen said.
It is noted that the proceedings are based on data from declassified Romanian intelligence reports, TikTok documents and reports of independent experts. In particular, Ireland, where TikTok's EU headquarters is located, will be actively involved in the investigation.
It is reported that the next steps in the investigation include collecting additional evidence, monitoring TikTok's actions and checking algorithms.
It is known that the European Commission has the authority to take interim measures or require changes in the company's policies if the suspicions are confirmed.
Earlier, the European Commission announced its suspicions about possible illegal activities of TikTok.
In turn, Romanian intelligence provided evidence of manipulation of public opinion and spread of disinformation through this platform during the elections.
As a result of these and other manipulations during the presidential election, the Romanian Constitutional Court cancelled the results of the first round, where the pro-Russian candidate ‘won’.
The European Union's chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also said that, in view of the situation in Romania, Russia had improved its methods of influencing elections in EU countries.