France’s digital watchdog, Viginium, has warned that online content creators were in danger of being exploited for political gain as foreign actors manipulated digital platforms to influence elections, citing Romanian presidential elections.
On February 5, it stated: “Vignium seeks to warn content creators and influencers on social media—beyond just TikTok — about the risk of being exploited by malicious foreign actors hiding behind commercial intermediary structures.”
The 14-page document used Romania’s annulled elections in December last year as a case study, where social media influencers were allegedly used to boost the visibility of a specific candidate.
In the report, Viginium said “malicious actors” hijacked content recommendation algorithms to sway public perception.
French officials were said to fear the same tactics that were allegedly used in Romania could be deployed in France, particularly given TikTok’s rising role as an information source.
With more than 21 million monthly users in France — one-third of the population — the platform has to many observers become more than just a hub for entertainment.
A 2024 digital news report from Reuters Institute among others have indicated that almost 8 per cent of French internet users now turn to TikTok for news on a weekly basis, with younger demographics relying on it even more.
According to French authorities, more than 100 TikTok influencers — most with no political affiliation and a combined following of more than 8 million — were recruited to promote Romanian presidential candidate Călin Georgescu.
The campaign saw influencers posting seemingly neutral content about the election, only to be reinforced by co-ordinated comment engagement apparently designed to trigger the platform’s recommendation algorithms in Georgescu’s favour.
The report warned that strategy could create the illusion of widespread public support while artificially boosting a candidate’s reach.
Given this trend, French authorities cautioned that foreign actors may attempt to replicate the Romanian playbook, either to manipulate electoral debates or push specific political narratives within the French information space.
The Romania High Court annulled the Romanian presidential ballot on December 6 citing foreign interference, which it said had tampered with election results.
The Venice Commission, the Council of Europe’s advisory body on constitutional matters, has raised concerns about the annulment of Romania’s presidential elections last December. https://t.co/8VUrWGlLpC
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) January 29, 2025
