EU Commission questions TikTok in wake of Romanian election scrutiny

The European Commission has sent TikTok a range of questions related to the platform’s handling of the Romanian elections.

“Against the background of the ongoing Romanian elections, the Commission is requesting TikTok to provide more information on its management of the risks of information manipulation,” the Commission wrote today.

TikTok will have to detail how it handles the risk of “inauthentic or automated exploitation” of its platform and the risk stemming from its recommender system.

Some researchers have alleged that fake accounts or paid influencers were deployed to boost the account of ultranationalist pro-Russian candidate Călin Georgescu, who surged to victory in Sunday’s first round of voting in Romania’s presidential election. Georgescu’s content reached high view counts on the video-sharing app in the campaign’s final stretch.

TikTok has repeatedly said it has found no evidence of any covert influence operation.

The Commission also wants to know how TikTok gives NGOs and researchers access to the data needed to scrutinize election risks. A group of Romania-based NGOs had asked for more transparency in an open letter.

The platform has two weeks to respond to the questions. The deadline falls after the Romanian parliamentary election, taking place this Sunday, and the second round of the presidential elections, scheduled for Dec. 8.

Earlier this week, the Romanian audiovisual regulator asked the European Commission to open a probe into TikTok over the election.

The current line of questioning doesn’t yet amount to a full-on probe.

TikTok must reply, after which the Commission will decide “further steps.” The questions also build further on an earlier set of questions the Commission sent to TikTok in early October about the working of its recommender system.

The Commission said it would be in touch with Romanian authorities and platforms through a roundtable hosted today.

TikTok spokesperson Paolo Ganino said the company was “committed” to cooperate.

“We view it as a helpful step in establishing facts in light of this week’s speculation.”