EU opens investigation against TikTok after suspicions of Russian interference on the social network

The President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, calls for action “quickly and firmly”, while the presidential election in the country, ultimately canceled, was marked by suspicions of manipulation on the Chinese social network.

The European Commission announced on Tuesday, December 17, the opening of an investigation against the social network TikTok, suspected of having failed in its obligations and opened the door to possible Russian manipulation during the canceled presidential election in Romania. “We must protect our democracies from all forms of foreign interference”said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, calling for action “quickly and firmly”. The Romanian authorities suspect the far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu, who came first in the first round on November 24 to everyone’s surprise, of having benefited from an illicit support campaign orchestrated by Moscow, notably on TikTok, owned by the group Chinese ByteDance.

The European executive plays the role of digital policeman in the EU, under the Digital Services Regulation (DSA) which came into full force on February 17. “Following serious indications that foreign actors interfered in the Romanian presidential elections using TikTok, we are conducting a thorough investigation to determine whether [la plateforme] violated the Digital Services Act by failing to address these risks”explained Ursula von der Leyen, quoted in a press release which does not directly mention Russia.

The Commission’s investigation will focus on election-related risk management, in particular regarding TikTok’s recommendation systems suspected of having been used for “coordinated manipulation”. It will also examine the management by the platform of “political advertisements and sponsored political content”. TikTok, which claims 175 million users in Europe, does not consider itself at fault and judges “solid” its efforts against disinformation.