The European Union has mandated controversial social media firm, TikTok to freeze data linked to the Romanian elections.
The EU officials had issued a “retention order” under the bloc’s all-encompassing Digital Services Act, which regulates how the world’s major social media companies operate in Europe.
The move is coincidentally coming on the same day the U.S government expressed concerns over likely foreign interference in Romania’s elections, after pro-Russia ultranationalist Calin Georgescu coasted to victory in the first round of the presidential contest on November 24.
Far-right parties also performed remarkably in Romania’s parliamentary election last Sunday, although the ruling leftist Social Democrats came out as the largest party with hopes to put together a pro-EU coalition government.
Documents declassified by Romanian security officials on Wednesday revealed how Georgescu was heavily promoted on TikTok through coordinated accounts, recommendation algorithms and paid promotion.
Georgescu himself had however, declared zero funds spent in the campaign.
The documents suggested Romania had been the target of “aggressive hybrid Russian attacks” but Russia has denied any interference in Romania’s election campaigns.
Political analysts and diplomats have estimated that if Georgescu claims victory in Sunday’s runoff vote, he will probably attempt to isolate Romania abroad and reverse its pro-EU approach.
A Tiktok spokesperson reacted to this development, saying:
“We have already been cooperating with the (European) Commission and will continue to do so. We look forward to establishing the facts in light of some of the speculation and inaccurate reports we have seen.”
