The Romanian presidential election controversy has taken a new twist with the European Commission ramping up its investigation into alleged online manipulation. The latest move comes in the wake of Romania's intelligence agency declassifying documents, which on Wednesday accused paid influencers of amplifying ultranationalist Călin Georgescu’s social media presence ahead of the election’s first round.
Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s new technology chief, stated that the decision to act would help “investigators establish the facts.” This move adds to an earlier set of questions directed at TikTok on Friday, as part of efforts to probe possible violations of the EU’s content-moderation law, the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The Commission clarified that it has not yet determined whether TikTok has breached the DSA and emphasized that its request to preserve data and evidence was focused solely on monitoring compliance. Over the past two weeks, scrutiny toward TikTok has intensified in Brussels after Romanian regulators voiced concerns.
TikTok’s regulatory oversight falls under the European Commission’s tech division in accordance with the DSA. Meanwhile, the Commission reaffirmed its commitment to avoiding interference in national elections. In a press release, it reiterated that this investigation “does not address the Romanian electoral process,” underscoring its broader focus on content moderation and regulatory compliance.
Brussels is also calling for closer collaboration with national authorities on these issues. On Friday, the EU’s executive body is scheduled to meet with authorities from all 27 member states, aiming to align enforcement practices under the DSA framework.
At the time of publication, TikTok had not responded to a request for comment.
This investigation highlights the growing pressure platforms like TikTok face under the EU’s strict content regulations and its broader mission to curb online disinformation, particularly during sensitive political moments like elections.
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