EU steps up monitoring of TikTok ahead of Romania vote

Brussels, Belgium: The European Commission on Thursday said that it has stepped up its monitoring of TikTok in the context of Romania s elections, aft...

Brussels, Belgium: The European Commission on Thursday said that it has stepped up its monitoring of TikTok in the context of Romania's elections, after receiving information about possible Russian interference.

Romanian authorities alleged that there has been Russian interference and "preferential treatment" of far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu by TikTok -- a claim the social network has denied.

Without commenting on any possible breach of rules by the platform, the Commission is demanding that TikTok "freeze and preserve data related to actual or foreseeable systemic risks its service could pose on electoral processes and civic discourse in the EU", according to a statement.

The Commission acts as the EU's digital watchdog, under the Digital Services Regulation (DSA), which came fully into force on February 17.

TikTok must also preserve internal documents and information regarding the design and functioning of its recommendation systems, the Commission said.