Disclosed Romanian intelligence reveals a massive TikTok network used to support a presidential candidate, highlighting digital guerrilla marketing and election manipulation concerns.
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Declassified documents from Romania’s Intelligence Service revealed that a network of 25,000 TikTok accounts supported independent candidate Callin Georgescu during his presidential campaign. Some accounts were created in 2016 and others on Telegram in 2022, with activation occurring just two weeks before the first round of elections on November 24th. Despite the candidate claiming zero income or expenses for his campaign, a cryptocurrency entrepreneur named Bogdan Peschir invested one million euros; TikTok acknowledged that $381,000 (about €362,000) was used to pay users who promoted the candidate on the social media platform. Beyond potential Russian involvement being investigated by the Romanian government, digital communication expert Dragos Stanca described Georgescu’s actions as “digital guerrilla marketing” from an ethical perspective. This strategy involves using unconventional, low-cost methods where ordinary users drive promotion for an idea or product, making campaigns more credible and affordable. Stanca noted that Georgescu’s team demonstrated a deep understanding of exploiting TikTok effectively, alongside intensive use of Meta’s ecosystem (Facebook and Instagram) and Google Display Network tools. He argued that while many political parties employ such tactics—often through untraceable intermediaries—these activities are ethically questionable even if not illegal. The truly illegal aspect, which led the Romanian Constitutional Court to cancel the second round of presidential elections, is financing campaigns with dubious or undeclared sources. Authorities have conducted raids on properties of alleged participants, including influencers and sympathizing mercenaries.
The text highlights that contemporary electoral ecosystems differ significantly from traditional models, as voters, especially younger generations, rely heavily on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and podcasts for political information. Stanca suggests stricter regulation might be necessary due to the behavior of large tech companies, stating that social media platforms, designed for e-commerce, are unsuitable for informed voting. TikTok defends itself by citing its security efforts in Europe and listing irregular activities it identified in Romania.
Romania has one of the highest percentages of TikTok users in the EU, with nearly half of its population constantly using the microvideo platform. This phenomenon is not unique to Romania; social media has also propelled non-political figures into prominence in other European elections. Stanca posits that manipulation online is inversely proportional to education levels, as technology amplifies humanity’s inherent fascination with stories and myths. He suggests the pandemic served as a testing ground for current geopolitical shifts by allowing strange messages to prepare the public for later transformations.
Regarding solutions, while banning TikTok has been discussed in Romania and the US, Stanca advocates against censoring media products. Instead, he stresses the urgent need for education on digital media operations and suggests considering social networks as harmful products subject to special taxes, drawing parallels to tobacco or gambling industries.
