Local research firm Online Risk Labs has identified 286 TikTok accounts with a “cumulative reach of 5 to 9 million views per week,” surpassing many political party leaders’ reach. These accounts appear to support extremist groups like the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) and the far-left Enough! (Stačilo!). Both parties might enter government or support Andrej Babiš’s leading right-wing populist ANO party for the first time since 1989.
These accounts promote content such as the glorification of Vladimir Putin, disinformation, narratives justifying Russian aggression in Ukraine, and showcasing the Russian army’s strength, according to Online Risk Labs.
As reported to POLITICO regarding the Czech elections, TikTok has proactively removed 98.5 percent of content violating its election integrity, misinformation, and AI-generated content policies, and shut down 46 impersonator accounts.
A TikTok spokesperson stated, “We have proactively implemented additional safety and security measures ahead of the elections in Czechia, including an in-app Election Center to provide access to authoritative information about the vote.”
Around 2.5 million people use TikTok in Czechia, a lower proportion compared to Romania. In Romania, last year’s presidential elections were annulled after ultranationalist, NATO-skeptical candidate Călin Georgescu unexpectedly won, fueled by TikTok content.
The European Commission joined a roundtable with tech giants Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, and X, organized by the Czech telecom office on Aug. 29, according to spokesperson Thomas Regnier. The platforms expressed their readiness to address potential incidents, though the Czech telecom office highlighted the Commission’s role in managing systemic risks.
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