EU Steps Up Monitoring of TikTok Ahead of Romania Vote

The European Commission on Thursday said that it has stepped up its monitoring of TikTok in the context of Romania's elections, after receiving information about possible Russian interference.

Romanian authorities alleged that there has been Russian interference and "preferential treatment" of far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu by TikTok -- a claim the social network has denied.

Without commenting on any possible breach of rules by the platform, the Commission is demanding that TikTok "freeze and preserve data related to actual or foreseeable systemic risks its service could pose on electoral processes and civic discourse in the EU", according to a statement.

The Commission acts as the EU's digital watchdog, under the Digital Services Regulation (DSA), which came fully into force on February 17.

TikTok must also preserve internal documents and information regarding the design and functioning of its recommendation systems, the Commission said.

The platform has also been told to retain information on the way it addresses the risk of "intentional manipulation", the Commission's statement added.

Romania holds its presidential run-off election on Sunday, a key vote for the EU and NATO member bordering Ukraine.

Georgescu's nationalist discourse imbued with mysticism has hit the mark on social networks, particularly on TikTok, where his videos have been viewed millions of times.

Other Topics of Interest

A Digital Abyss: Democracy in This Age of Disinformation

In an era of global connectivity, the ability to almost instantly spread disinformation threatens the basic fundamental truths on which civilized society is based.

Georgescu, a former senior civil servant, shocked the eastern European nation when he topped the first round of the presidential elections on November 24.

Fears are rife that under Georgescu the country, whose strategic importance has increased since Russia invaded Ukraine, will join the EU's far-right bloc and undermine European unity in the face of Russia, at which Bucharest pointed the finger amid claims of interference in the first round vote.