The European Commission launches a formal investigation
The European Commission has recently launched a formal investigation against TikTok, the well-known Chinese video-sharing platform, for suspected violation of the law on digital services. This process focuses on the platform’s obligation to adequately assess and mitigate systemic risks associated with the integrity of elections, an issue of increasing relevance in the current European political landscape
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Concerns about the Romanian presidential elections
The Romanian presidential elections, scheduled for November 24, are at the center of these concerns. The survey aims to examine how TikTok manages risks related to elections and civic discourse. In particular, the focus is on the platform’s recommendation systems, which may be subject to inauthentic manipulations or to the automated use of the service. These aspects are crucial to ensure that the information released during the election period is accurate and not influenced by incorrect practices
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Advertising policies and political content
In addition, the Commission will evaluate TikTok’s policies regarding political advertising and paid political content. This initiative reflects a growing interest on the part of European authorities in ensuring that digital platforms comply with regulations aimed at protecting democracy and the integrity of the electoral process. TikTok, being one of the most influential platforms in the world, is now under the microscope to ensure that its practices don’t compromise public trust in the electoral system
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The current economic and social context
In a wider context, the TikTok survey is part of a period of economic and social challenges for Europe. Recently, the German economy has shown signs of worsening, according to the IFO Institute, with the IFO index falling to 84.7 points from 85.6 in November. These data highlight the difficulties that Germany and, by extension, Europe must face in the coming months. Economic stability is essential to ensure a healthy democratic environment, and authorities are trying to address issues related to disinformation and data manipulation
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