TikTok boosts far-right candidate in Romania's presidential election runoff

A recent analysis suggests that TikTok significantly boosted Calin Georgescu, a little-known far-right candidate, in Romania's presidential election. He advanced to the runoff against Elena Lasconi after leveraging social media, unlike traditional candidates who relied on conventional campaigning. Experts noted that Georgescu's campaign utilized influencers to create a favorable image without directly promoting him. This strategy involved "priming" the audience with positive traits and using bots and trolls to amplify his visibility and credibility online. Concerns have emerged about potential foreign interference, particularly from Russia, in shaping public perception. Evidence indicates that external support may have influenced the campaign, raising questions about the effectiveness of Romania's defenses against such digital manipulation.