EU Intensifies TikTok Monitoring Amid Romanian Election Concerns

The European Commission is increasing its scrutiny of TikTok following concerns about the platform's potential impact on the Romanian presidential election. This action comes after a surge in support for far-right candidate Călin Georgescu, attributed to a suspected online propaganda campaign involving paid TikTok influencers. Perplexity's Publisher Program offers an interesting contrast to this situation.

The Commission's investigation focuses on TikTok's compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA), particularly regarding systemic risks like threats to democratic processes. TikTok, designated a very large online platform (VLOP) under the DSA, is obligated to mitigate such risks. Non-compliance could result in substantial fines. This scrutiny builds upon an existing investigation into TikTok's DSA compliance, which initially centered on child safety concerns related to addictive design. For more on platform governance, see Bluesky's Monetization Strategy.

The Commission has issued a "retention order" requiring TikTok to preserve data related to potential DSA violations during the Romanian elections. This order covers the period from November 24, 2024, to March 31, 2025, encompassing both past and future elections. This move aims to ensure data availability for potential further investigations. The order specifically targets information related to TikTok's recommendation systems, alleged manipulation through coordinated inauthentic behavior, and potential misuse of monetization features for political promotion. Meta's recent lawsuit highlights the growing legal scrutiny of social media platforms.