EU probes TikTok over Romanian presidential elections

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 19 - The European Commission has opened formal proceedings against TikTok for a suspected breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in relation to TikTok's obligation to properly assess and mitigate systemic risks linked to election integrity, notably in the context of the recent Romanian presidential elections on 24 November, which were won by the pro-Russian, far-right candidate Călin Georgescu and subsequently invalidated by the Romanian Constitutional Court.
    This decision to open an investigation takes into account information received from declassified intelligence reports by the Romanian authorities, as well as third-party reports, the Commission said in a statement.
    The Commission has monitored the impact of social-media platforms in elections throughout the EU and previously issued guidelines for the platforms in order to increase due diligence in election periods.
    In the case of the Romanian presidential elections, the Commission collected information from TikTok, the Romanian authorities and civil society organisations. The platform's policies on political advertising and paid political content, as well as its recommendation systems, came under the scrutiny of the Brussels authorities, in particular the risks linked to coordinated inauthentic manipulation or automated exploitation of the service.
    Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the need to "protect our democracies from any kind of foreign interference" explaining that the EU executive had taken action following "serious indications that foreign actors interfered in the Romanian presidential elections by using TikTok.
    "Whenever we suspect such interference, especially during elections, we have to act swiftly and firmly," she continued.
    After the formal opening of proceedings, the Commission will continue to gather evidence, for example by sending additional requests for information, conducting monitoring actions, interviews, inspections and requesting access to algorithms.
    Such requests for information may require TikTok to provide data and documents it has been obliged to retain on the basis of the retention order imposed by the Commission on 5 December.
    Coimisiún na Meán, the Digital Services Coordinator for Ireland - TikTok's country of establishment in the EU - has been associated to the Commission's investigation and will contribute with its expertise and analysis to the case.
    The opening of formal proceedings empowers the Commission to take further enforcement steps, such as interim measures, and non-compliance decisions. The Commission is also empowered to accept any commitment made by TikTok to remedy the matters subject to the proceeding.
    Overall, Brussels aims to "better understand the vulnerabilities in TikTok's systems, especially in light of the upcoming elections in Croatia and Germany," explained a senior European official.
    The investigation is part of the Commission's wider work on protecting democracy and raising awareness of hybrid threats.
    "There is no formal attribution to Russia, but there is certainly a manual, in which very well-known aspects of potential Russian or third-country actors can be seen in the background", they explained in Brussels. (ANSA).