European Union: Issued European Commission request for information to TikTok on its management of risks of information manipulation

On 29 November 2024, the European Commission issued a request for information under the Digital Service Act (DSA) to TikTok, focusing on the platform's content moderation practices, particularly in the context of the Romanian elections. TikTok is required to provide information on its management of information manipulation risks, including the analysis and mitigation of inauthentic or automated exploitation and the implications of its recommender systems. The Commission's request also seeks details on TikTok's initiatives to facilitate public scrutiny and access to data for detecting and understanding systemic risks related to electoral processes. TikTok is required to respond by 13 December 2024, after which the Commission will evaluate the need for further steps. The request for information follows a previous inquiry on 2 October regarding the design and functioning of TikTok's, Snapchat's, and YouTube's recommender systems in election contexts.