TikTok Under Fire After Romanian Election
The shock victory of ultranationalist Călin Georgescu in the first round of Romania’s presidential election exposed a critical gap between the rapid spread of misinformation and social media regulations. The European Commission, tasked with enforcing new online platform rules, found itself slow to react, sparking criticism about Brussels’udging in the EU.
Demand for action was immediate. Europe’s Digital Services Act (DSA) – a much-hyped law designed to hold platforms accountable for harmful content – seemed somewhat ineffectual in reducing the influence of misleading information
While the redistribution of the platform’s algorithm under review, Commission officials opted to expand an existing set of questions directed at TikTok. These new inquiries delved into the platform’s recommendation algorithm and the vulnerability of its system to manipulation by malicious actors. The same request went out to other tech giants, Meta (Facebook’s parent company), Google, Microsoft, and X (formerly Twitter).
This measured response, however, clashed starkly with the passionate frustration expressed by many in the European Parliament. Lawmakers unleashed a torrent of criticism, particularly during a hearing with TikTok executives a week after Georgescu’s win.
"[There’s no ability to intervene quickly in these situations, and the platforms clearly don’t seem to care,"](https://www.politico.eu/article/european-union-lawmakers-tiktok-romania-election-ultranationalist-calin-georgescu
content-monitoring/) Green party MEP Kim Van Sparrentak declared.
Minutes later, Rita Wezenbeek, head of the Commission’s platforms directorate, stated that the Commission had yet to form a definitive opinion.
on the situation.
Sarah concerns about the Commission’s ability, or lack thereof, to immediately clamp down on potentially harmful content were further highlighted during the EU legislature’s hearing.
The recent Romanian election underscored a crucial point: the slowness of DSA enforcement
cannot keep pace with the speed at which
misinformation proliferates on social media.
> Ultranationalist Călin Georgescu’s shock win in the first round of the Romanian election put pressure on the European Commission to show that it can use its new powers to clamp down on online content. | Andrei Pungovschi/Getty Images
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