The EU makes an urgent TikTok inquiry on Russia's role in Romanian election turmoil
The European Union has 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 nati...
LONDON — 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 used the messaging app Telegram to recruit thousands of TikTok users to promote Georgescu.
It is unclear from the intelligence release whether Georgescu was aware of the alleged campaign or assisted in it.
European Commission officials said they asked the TikTok to comment on the files and to provide information on actions that it’s taking in response. It’s the second time the commission has asked the TikTok for information since the election’s first round of voting on Nov. 24, and comes a day after it ordered the Chinese-owned platform to retain all election-related files and evidence.
TikTok declined to comment.
“We are concerned about mounting indications of coordinated foreign online influence operation targeting
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