In a few weeks, companies like TikTok, X, and Facebook will be addressed about this during an experts' meeting in Brussels. They will be reminded of the tightened rules from the European Digital Services Act (DSA).
The (Dutch) Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) and the European Commission want to prevent online platforms from contributing to influencing voters or disrupting election processes. According to the DSA, large platforms have a legal obligation to proactively take measures against disinformation and abuse, especially during election periods.
The warning partly stems from recent events in Romania, where during elections a large-scale and inexplicable TikTok campaign was launched. This flood of videos led to concerns about influencing the electorate. In part of the country, the election result had to be declared invalid.
The European Commission has therefore launched a formal investigation into TikTok. This looks at possible violations of the DSA, including insufficiently limiting political advertisements and not addressing coordinated disinformation campaigns. The outcome of this investigation could lead to heavy sanctions.
In the Netherlands, the ACM has emphasized in letters to platforms that they must be extra vigilant during election time. They are expected to prevent their services from being misused for political influence or spreading fake news. This applies both to paid campaigns and to organic content.
Specific attention is given to the ban on political advertisements targeted at voters in the EU if these do not comply with transparency and origin rules. Platforms must clearly show who is behind a message and how it is financed, so that voters can make informed choices.
During the meeting in September, European and Dutch regulators will emphasize that violations of the DSA can lead to high fines. For the largest platforms, this can amount to a significant percentage of their global annual turnover. The message is that prevention is now a priority, before problems arise.
The joint action of The Hague and Brussels underscores that online platforms bear direct responsibility for protecting democratic processes in EU member states. The emphasis is on preventing a repeat of incidents like in Romania, so that the elections in October can be free and fair.
This approach fits within the broader European strategy to more strictly regulate digital services and better manage their societal impact. For social media companies, this means they must significantly tighten their systems, controls, and moderation to comply with the law.