TikTok faces EU scrutiny over potential election meddling
The European Commission, worried about the impact on the elections in Romania, has reached out to TikTok's management, demanding immediate clarification. The platform has one day to present its stance on the information appearing on it that could influence elections in this country.
The European Commission has asked for immediate clarification from TikTok concerning information reported by Romania about external interference in their electoral process. The platform has been given 24 hours to respond. According to the AP, the pressure on the app intensified just before the second round of the presidential elections in Romania, scheduled for this coming Sunday.
We have a tool at our disposal where we make sure that the very large online platforms have their role to play and make sure that their services are not misused to influence voters and to influence people," stated the European Commission's spokesperson, Thomas Regnier.
When asked if the time remaining until the elections is too short for effective action, Regnier explained that the Commission's request pertains to information disclosed by Romanian authorities on Wednesday. "I can confirm that we have received and we are currently working on these documents now," he added.
European Commission concerned about TikTok's influence
The Vice President of the European Commission for Digital Affairs, Henna Virkkunen, expressed her concerns on social media: "We are concerned about mounting indications of coordinated foreign online influence operation targeting ongoing Romanian elections, especially on TikTok."
On the same day, the European Commission ordered TikTok to freeze and preserve data related to the presidential elections in Romania and other voting events that will take place in the European Union until the end of March 2025.
