European Union regulators on Thursday ordered TikTok to withhold any information related to Romania’s presidential election, after the country’s top defense agency revealed that Moscow had accused it of orchestrating an online campaign to support a candidate.
As controversy mounts around the election, the executive branch of the 27-nation bloc is using its extensive digital rulebook to scrutinize the role played by video-sharing platforms.
Far-right populist Calin Georgescu emerged from obscurity in the first round of Romania’s presidential election on November 24, plunging the European Union and NATO into turmoil.
In an unprecedented move, President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday ordered the release of intelligence files that allege that a wide network of thousands of social media accounts on platforms such as TikTok and Telegram promoted Georgescu content.
The European Commission said it had issued a “retention order” to TikTok and demanded it “freeze and secure data” related to so-called systemic risks that the video-sharing platform’s service could pose to “electoral processes and civil debate” in the EU.
TikTok “has already been cooperating with the Commission and will continue to do so,” the company said in a statement. “We look forward to establishing the facts in light of some of the speculation and false reports we have seen.” The commission said that TikTok must post internal documents and information about the design and operation of its system for recommending content to users. It should protect files on how it addresses the risk of using fake accounts in a coordinated way to manipulate users.
Officials told a daily briefing in Brussels that the commission had received the intelligence files.
“I can confirm that we have received and we are currently working on these documents,” said commission spokesman Thomas Regnier.
“This preservation order is an important step in helping investigators establish the facts and adds to our formal requests for information that seek the following information. Yesterday’s declassification of classified documents. The Commission It is using the Digital Services Act to investigate TikTok, which many observers say played a big role in Georgescu’s success in the first round of voting.DSA purges large online platforms and internet users A comprehensive set of rules came into effect last year aimed at protecting against the threat of large fines.
“We have a tool where we make sure that the very big online platforms play their role and make sure that they don’t abuse their services to influence voters and influence people,” Regnier said.
On Sunday, Georgescu will face EU reformist Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party in the final vote.
In releasing the declassified files, intelligence officials said they “revealed an aggressive propaganda campaign” to increase and intensify Georgescu’s popularity. According to the files, Romanian secret services alleged that a TikTok user paid USD 381,000 to other users to promote Georgescu content.
The commission has already twice asked TikTok for information about its election-related recommendation system, including a second request on Friday for more information on how it manages risks from “information manipulation.” Earlier this week, during questioning by a committee of European parliamentarians, TikTok executives said they discovered several electoral influence networks, including one that supported Georgescu but defended the platform’s electoral integrity practices.