Romania: Announced NAC and ANCOM referral to the European Commission for an investigation into TikTok for alleged failure to address disinformation and electoral manipulation amplification under DSA

On 26 November 2024, the National Audiovisual Council (NAC) submitted a complaint to the European Commission regarding possible violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA) by TikTok in the context of the Romanian presidential elections. The NAC and the National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) noted that TikTok allegedly failed to prevent the spread of disinformation and the amplification of electoral manipulation. The NAC and ANCOM requested the European Commission to investigate TikTok's compliance with the DSA and its guidelines on the mitigation of systemic risks for electoral processes. Under the DSA, only the European Commission has the authority to determine whether very large online platforms (VLOPs), such as TikTok, comply with their obligations. National authorities can support these investigations by providing relevant national-level information to assist the Commission in taking appropriate enforcement actions. Finally, the Vice President of ANCOM announced plans to request the suspension of TikTok's operations in Romania until the investigation is completed.