TikTok launches Election Center ahead of Romania’s May presidential vote

TikTok has launched an Election Center dedicated to Romania's upcoming elections as part of its broader effort to protect "the integrity of the platform" and promote access to reliable information. The initiative is supported by a new media literacy campaign and ongoing collaboration with more than 20 fact-checking partners, the company said in a statement.

Users can find the recently launched Election Center in Search and through banners on election-related content, according to TikTok.

The new tool provides key information, such as important dates, and guides people to the Permanent Electoral Authority's website. "It also has information about TikTok's policies and media literacy tips for creating, sharing, and engaging with content that we built in partnership with Funky Citizens," reads the announcement.

Also, in preparation for the presidential elections, TikTok has teamed up with several local media outlets to produce educational videos that help users distinguish between fact and fiction online. These videos, now available via the Election Center, will be actively promoted for visibility throughout the election period.

The launch of the Election Center is part of TikTok's wider effort to safeguard the platform during elections. A dedicated Elections Taskforce, made up of cybersecurity experts, misinformation analysts, and policy specialists, is leading this effort. The group uses a combination of advanced technology and human moderation to monitor and enforce the platform's community standards, the company noted.

Also, TikTok said it is working closely with Romanian authorities by providing dedicated reporting channels through which officials can flag content that may violate either TikTok's community rules or national regulations. In preparation for the upcoming Romanian elections, the platform recently expanded access to these tools by including additional government and local institutions.

The initiative, TikTok says, enhances transparency and reinforces the platform's commitment to working with local regulators. The company continues to engage with fact-checkers and NGOs and participates in the EU's Code of Practice on Disinformation to tackle urgent threats that could affect the electoral process.

The 2024 presidential elections in Romania were canceled based on intelligence reports, which showed that Russia had influenced voters through social media to support the extremist candidate Călin Georgescu. The pro-Russian politician was virtually unknown before he became very popular on TikTok shortly before the vote.