'The EU makes an urgent TikTok inquiry on Russia’s role in Romanian election turmoil' December 6, 2024

The European Union said Friday it sent TikTok an urgent request for more information about Romanian intelligence files suggesting that Moscow coordinated influencers on its platform to promote an election candidate who became the surprise front-runner in the nation’s presidential election.

The 27-nation bloc’s executive branch is using its sweeping digital rulebook to scrutinize the video-sharing app’s role in the vote. which saw the far-right populist Calin Georgescu coming from out of nowhere to take top spot. But the election was thrown into turmoil Friday after the country’s top court annulled results from the first round of voting.

Declassified files released by Romanian authorities earlier this week suggest that a pro-Russia campaign worked to recruit thousands of TikTok users to promote Georgescu.

Romania’s intelligence services alleged that one TikTok user paid $381,000 to influencers on the platform to promote content about Georgescu. They said they obtained information that “revealed an aggressive promotion campaign” to increase and accelerate the candidate’s popularity.

TikTok declined to comment.