The European Commission appreciates TikTok's cooperation in the investigations regarding the elections in Romania
The European Commission appreciates that TikTok has been “extremely cooperative” in the investigation into possible interference in the 2024 Romanian elections, at a time when the US is criticizing the EU for alleged interference in the electoral processes of several member states.
The US accuses the EU of interfering in the elections in Romania and other member states. PHOTO: archive
The European Commission assessed, on Wednesday, February 4, that the TikTok platform was “extremely cooperative” in the investigation carried out by the European executive regarding the possible interference in the presidential elections in Romania in 2024.
The statement was made by the Commission's spokesman, Thomas Regnier, who emphasized that when a company wants to interact with Brussels, the European institution responds with the same openness. “TikTok has been very cooperative and has taken a number of measures,” Regnier explained, highlighting that the platform has collaborated with the authorities to clarify the reported situations.
“It also shows that when someone wants to engage with the Commission, we are very happy to engage. TikTok is very cooperative. They have taken a number of steps,” said Thomas Regnier, according to Agerpres.
This appreciation comes in a tense context, after the legal committee of the United States House of Representatives published a critical report to the European Commission, accusing Brussels of direct involvement in the national elections of some EU member states, including Romania.
The report suggests that following the entry into force of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in 2023, the European Commission has put pressure on digital platforms to limit or censor content ahead of elections in Slovakia, the Netherlands, France, the Republic of Moldova, Ireland and Romania, as well as ahead of the European elections in June 2024.
According to the report, these pressures would have targeted conservative and populist parties in particular, in order to disadvantage them electorally.
In the case of Romania, the document points out that the most aggressive measures to moderate online content were applied before the 2024 presidential elections, when the Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round won by independent populist candidate Călin Georgescu.
The accusations from the US Congress have sparked international controversy, pointing to a conflict between European and American perceptions of the neutrality of digital platforms and the role of the European Commission in ensuring the fairness of elections.
