TikTok establishes subsidiary in Romania
In recent developments, Chinese social media platform TikTok has established a new branch in Romania, known as Tik Tok Romania, with a share capital of RON 5,000. This move comes after significant public and governmental pressure following the 2024 presidential elections, which were marred by allegations of foreign interference and digital manipulation.
During the elections, TikTok faced scrutiny for its role in promoting certain candidates, leading to the annulment of the first round of voting by the Constitutional Court. The European Commission has launched investigations into TikTok's compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA), particularly regarding its ad registry and content moderation practices. There have been reports of large-scale influence operations on TikTok targeting voters, including the use of fake accounts and campaign coordination through other platforms like Telegram.
The European Commission has expressed concerns that TikTok is not meeting its obligations under the DSA, which requires platforms to maintain transparency through ad registries. This is crucial for detecting misleading ads and coordinated influence campaigns. Formal proceedings against TikTok were initiated by the European Commission, focusing on its handling of political content and alleged violations of the DSA.
In response to Romania's efforts to compel online platforms to protect minors from harmful content, TikTok has posted a job opening for a Government Relations and Public Policy Manager in Romania. The platforms are required to respond within a maximum of 2 hours to any notification issued by a competent authority regarding harmful content accessed by a minor. Failure to comply with these measures could result in fines ranging from 0.5% to 3% of global annual turnover.
While there is significant focus on electoral integrity, broader compliance measures regarding child protection on TikTok are not explicitly detailed in recent reports from Romania. However, the DSA also includes provisions related to protecting minors from harmful content, which TikTok would need to adhere to.
The investigation by the European Commission and the ongoing scrutiny highlight the platform's efforts to address concerns and improve its practices in the region. Laura Andreea Savu is the manager of Tik Tok Romania, according to ONRC data. TikTok is expected to surpass Facebook in the coming period in Romania, with approximately 9 million users, making it the fastest-growing social media platform in the country.
In an attempt to address the allegations of election interference, TikTok implemented internal changes ahead of the 2024 rerun of the presidential elections, including launching an Election Center and closing tens of thousands of suspicious accounts. However, TikTok was found to be a part of a large-scale international influence operation targeting Romanian diaspora voters, according to a report by cybersecurity company Refute.
As TikTok continues to grow in popularity, it faces significant challenges in Romania, including criticism for its role in election interference and compliance issues with EU regulations. The opening of a local branch and ongoing investigations highlight the platform's efforts to address these concerns and improve its practices in the region.
TikTok's growth in Romania, with an expected overtaking of Facebook and approximately 9 million users, has prompted discussions about how it will navigate challenges, such as allegations of election interference and compliance issues with EU regulations, particularly regarding the Digital Services Act (DSA). In response to these concerns, TikTok has taken steps to improve its practices, including launching an Election Center, closing suspicious accounts, and implementing changes in transparency and content moderation, aiming to meet its obligations under the DSA and ensure social-media integrity, while simultaneously addressing child protection concerns.
