TL;DR
- The European Commission started an investigation into TikTok last December following reports about voter influence through social media.
- TikTok made changes ahead of the re-run of the Romanian election.
- The changes come after allegations of the platform being used to influence the election.
- The EU tech chief says the platform has taken steps to mitigate risks to election integrity.
TikTok changes ahead of Romanian election
The European Union’s tech chief has announced that TikTok made changes ahead of the re-run of the Romanian election. This comes after allegations that the platform was used to influence the election, with reports suggesting that coordinated accounts and algorithmic amplification of certain candidates’ presence on the platform may have affected the outcome.
The investigation into TikTok was started by the European Commission last December, following reports about voter influence through social media. The commission has been working to ensure that social media platforms like TikTok comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act, which aims to mitigate risks to election integrity.
According to sources, TikTok has taken steps to prevent and remove fake accounts and fake followers leading up to the election. The platform has also described the three influence campaigns that it interrupted as “very, very small networks”. However, some experts have raised concerns about the platform’s ability to detect and prevent disinformation and manipulation.
In a statement, the EU tech chief said that TikTok has made changes to its algorithm and content moderation policies to address concerns about election interference. The chief also noted that the platform has taken steps to increase transparency and accountability, including providing more information about its content moderation practices.
Allegiations of election influence
The changes made by TikTok come after allegations that the platform was used to influence the Romanian election. The election was annulled due to allegations of voter fraud and disinformation, and a re-run is scheduled to take place soon.
In an article by Infosecurity Magazine, a reporter noted that “A propaganda campaign conducted primarily on TikTok boosted a far-right candidate who topped the votes in the first round of Romania’s presidential election.” The article also stated that “Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) revealed in a declassified document that Georgescu’s campaign had been heavily boosted by a wave of messages on social media of people allegedly supporting the candidate.”
The situation has raised concerns about the impact of social media on elections and the need for platforms like TikTok to take steps to prevent disinformation and manipulation. As the EU tech chief noted, “the Digital Services Act is a crucial step towards ensuring that social media platforms are held accountable for their role in shaping public discourse.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, the changes made by TikTok ahead of the re-run of the Romanian election are a positive step towards addressing concerns about election interference. However, more needs to be done to ensure that social media platforms are held accountable for their role in shaping public discourse.
References
[^1]: Euronews (2025-04-08). “Tiktok made changes ahead of re-run of Romanian election, says EU tech chief“. Euronews. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
[^2]: AP News (2024-12-03). “TikTok defends handling of Romania election content in grilling by EU lawmakers“. AP News. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
[^3]: RFERL (2024-12-06). “EU Launches Probe Into TikTok Over Suspected Romanian Election Interference“. RFERL. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
[^4]: AP News (2024-12-05). “European Union orders TikTok to preserve data related to Romania’s presidential election“. AP News. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
[^5]: Global Witness (2024-12-17). “What happened on TikTok around the Romanian elections?“. Global Witness. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
[^6]: Euronews (2024-12-06). “EU demands ‘urgent’ answers from TikTok about Romanian election“. Euronews. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
[^7]: Infosecurity Magazine (2024-12-06). “Romania Exposes TikTok Propaganda Campaign Supporting Pro-Russian Candidate“. Infosecurity Magazine. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
[^8]: CEPA (2025-01-16). “Disinformation Dilemma: Trump and TikTok Squeeze Europe“. CEPA. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
[^9]: Yahoo News (2024-12-07). “Why China’s TikTok is under fire as Romania cancels presidential run-off“. Yahoo News. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
[^10]: WPRI (2024-12-06). “Access to this page has been denied“. WPRI. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
