TikTok faces EU investigation over election disinformation

The European Commission has launched an investigation into TikTok under the Digital Services Act (DSA) following reports of massive disinformation campaigns during the Romanian elections. According to European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier, classified documents provided by Romanian authorities indicated that bot-amplified disinformation occurred on the platform. The investigation could result in fines of up to 6% of TikTok’s global turnover. Findings from other European elections may also contribute to the evidence gathered in this case.

In Moldova, the Center for Strategic Communication and Countering Disinformation (STRATCOM) faces limitations in managing online content. Director Liliana Vițu noted that while the agency can report problematic material on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and Telegram, the final decision to remove content rests solely with the private companies. Vițu emphasized the need for clearer transparency regulations for influencers, particularly regarding the marking of paid content versus personal opinions, to protect the public during election periods.