EU increases monitoring of TikTok over election concerns in Romania

The European Commission is increasing its monitoring of TikTok due to concerns about its influence on Romania's elections. This follows the rise of far-right candidate Călin Georgescu, who gained significant support through TikTok, raising alarms about potential election law violations. The Commission has issued a "retention order" requiring TikTok to preserve data related to risks its platform poses to electoral processes. This order covers the period from November 24 to March 31, 2025, and aims to ensure better compliance ahead of the upcoming second round of voting on December 8. TikTok has faced scrutiny for not adequately preventing the use of fake accounts and paid influencers to manipulate election outcomes. The EU's actions signal a shift in focus from child safety to democratic risks, as it investigates TikTok's adherence to the Digital Services Act.