The Impact of Social Media on Political Discourse and Democracy: The Case of Romania

Introduction

Media has always been used as a tool to keep the public informed on political developments and also to spread information bias within the political sphere. Traditional partisan media—such as Fox News, which aligns with the Republican Party, or The Mirror and The Guardian which have left-leaning biases in the UK—have historically shaped political discourse with their biased party affiliations and have been recognised by the wider public in doing so. However, with the rise of social media platforms such as X and TikTok, powered by an abundance of influencers that can freely spread unchecked or biased narratives, coupled with algorithms showing users what they want to see in order to gain a confirmation bias, are playing an increasingly pertinent role in politics. Social media has been viewed as a positive tool through which democratic values can be spread in authoritarian regimes or, as evidenced by the Arab Spring, the way in which mobilisation of anti-regime protests can be organised, in all fostering democracy and bringing people together. Whilst this positive use of social media has been recognised, concerns are rising about social media’s potential to undermine democracy, especially as ‘new social media platforms’ such as TikTok make it increasingly difficult to distinguish biased content from objective information and expose users to algorithms that reinforce their pre-existing bias. 

Theoretical Framework

The relationship between social media and democracy remains a subject of speculation, with limited empirical research systematically examining its effects across multiple states and regions. For example, whilst figures such as Elon Musk and Andrew Tate have notably promoted Republican values in the 2024 election, their actual impact on electoral outcomes remains uncertain. Nonetheless, dismissing social media’s influence on politics would be short-sighted, particularly in Europe, where far-right parties have increasingly turned to TikTok to engage young voters, leveraging the platform’s widespread popularity among individuals aged 18-34. In the UK, for example, 1 in 10 teenagers use TikTok as their primary news source, raising concerns about how easily political misinformation can be spread to young, impressionable future voters. 

Therefore, whilst majorities in emerging economies view social media as advancing democracy because such platforms can be used as tools to spread democratic values in restrictive states, opposite sentiments are developed in democracies like the Netherlands and France where skepticism is growing. This divergence suggeststhat there is an increasing concern within democratic states regarding the effects of social media in encouraging democratic backsliding. For example, in a work entitled “Can Democracy Survive The Internet” Persily (2017) writes that Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign set a new precedent on how social media can influence voter decisions, with Trump’s campaign using new methods such as automated chatbots and continuous propaganda attacks in all spaces of the cyber world to promote ultra-nationalist views, changing the landscape of political campaigns . Similar social media tactics to encourage voter support of ‘ultra-nationalist’ parties is becoming more and more apparent in Europe, too, with the latest example being the Romanian presidential election of 2024. 

Risks Posed by Social Media 

1. Disinformation and Manipulation

As previously discussed, social media has increasingly been weaponised to distort the democratic process through the spread of fake news, propaganda, and aggressive micro-targeting in political advertising. One of the most significant concerns is foreign influence, as tracking the origins and funding of content can be incredibly difficult. For example, allegations have surfaced that Russian state actors used American conservative influencers to spread Kremlin propaganda ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. A federal indictment revealed that a media company, linked to six influencers was covertly funded to amplify domestic divisions, raising concerns about the manipulation of public opinion through covert channels.

The problem is further compounded by algorithm-driven content curation. Social media platforms often expose users to content that aligns with their pre-existing beliefs, leading them to view biased or misleading information as truth. This creates an echo chamber effect, where users are very unlikely to question the information they encounter. TikTok, in particular, has rapidly grown within the last four years to be one of the main sources young people rely on for political news. In fact, in the US alone, the usage of TikTok for gathering news-related knowledge has risen by 30% in the last four years, faster than any other platform. This staggering growth and worry about how algorithms skew and spread information raises additional concerns about transparency and the potential for manipulation. TikTok, for now, has refused to comment on how its algorithm functions. This lack of accountability allows platforms to foster division and reinforce ideological biases, which can profoundly impact democratic processes.

Moreover, social media platforms are increasingly being leveraged by governments and political parties to shape public opinion. This is compounded by the fact that algorithms prioritise contents users want to see, meaning when politicians strategically spread rhetoric, the audience is likely to engage with one side of the story, which can have detrimental effects on public opinion and critical thinking. In the UK, for example, the Labour Party has hired a strategist to work with TikTok influencers to enhance its appeal among young voters. Similarly, the Syrian government has enlisted TikTok influencers to improve its international image. Such cases highlight the growing role of social media in state-sponsored influence campaigns, further blurring the lines between authentic political engagement and manipulated narratives. As platforms like TikTok become essential tools for political communication, the potential for their misuse in shaping public perception and manipulating democratic outcomes becomes even more concerning.

2. Algorithmic Bias and Election Interference: The Case of Romania

The 2024 Romanian presidential elections provide a striking example of how social media algorithms can influence public opinions and shape electoral outcomes, posing direct threats to democratic institutions. In the 2024 presidential election, ultranationalist candidate Călin Georgescu, whom before this election was barely known as a political figure, saw an unexpected surge in support and came first in the first round of the elections, prompting concerns about TikTok’s role in his rise. 

Overall, investigations have revealed that TikTok’s algorithm overwhelmingly favored pro-Georgescu content, amplifying his campaign messaging at a disproportionately higher rate than his main competitor, Elena Lasconi. Independent tests conducted by media watchdogs showed that TikTok recommended pro-Georgescu content between 4.6 and 14 times more frequently than pro-Lasconi content. This algorithmic favoritism not only influenced voter perceptions but also shaped the broader political discourse in Romania. Georgescu’s populist messaging, which included pledges to end aid to Ukraine, conspiracy theories about microchips in beverages, and praise for Vladimir Putin as a nationalist leader ‘who loves his people’, was widely disseminated through TikTok’s algorithm. His campaign on the platform was described as “highly organized,” with coordinated efforts to flood feeds with pro-Georgescu content.

Beyond the algorithmic bias, grassroots digital activism played a crucial role in Georgescu’s success. His supporters orchestrated viral hashtag campaigns, aggressively engaged in comment sections to promote his policies, and created short-form videos attacking Lasconi’s credibility. These tactics, combined with TikTok’s algorithmic preferences, provided Georgescu with a significant advantage, raising serious concerns about the platform’s neutrality in political processes. In fact, a recent study conducted by the ‘Global Witness’ organisation proves TikTok’s failure in providing equal and neutral coverage of both frontrunner’s campaigns. More specifically, investigators found that in 10 minutes on TikTok’s for you page, 54 videos were recommended, with 27 supporting one of two Romanian candidates. Of these, 85% promoted Georgescu, and 15% supported Lasconi. Most posts supporting Georgescu came from unofficial accounts (21 posts), while only three posts supported Lasconi. Despite following both candidates and engaging equally with their content, Georgescu’s posts dominated, highlighting TikTok’s bias in promoting his campaign.

Critics also pointed to financial irregularities in Georgescu’s digital campaign. Evidence surfaced that hundreds of thousands of dollars were funneled into TikTok advertisements promoting Georgescu,  with the money being hard to track and fears existing that this funding came from Russian sources; directly Romanian election laws and TikTok’s own advertising policies. When confronted, Georgescu dismissed these concerns, claiming that his critics were “afraid” and mocking Romania’s intelligence agencies as “un-intelligent.”. Since this, the first round of the presidential elections got cancelled, and a new election is to take place in May of this year. The problem is, however, that the new Romanian president was supposed to come into office earlier this year but due to the cancelled elections fuelled by the effects that TikTok may have had on the results, Romania is now in a ‘political crisis’ with no elected president to represent their people for the next couple of months.

This case highlights the urgent need for greater transparency in TikTok’s, and other social media platforms’ algorithmic decision-making, as well as stronger regulatory oversight to prevent digital platforms from unduly influencing elections. This case also highlights the dangers that social media can pose in democratic institutions and the fragile nature of democratic processes in the digital age. The Romanian election debacle underscores how social media platforms, if left unchecked, can become powerful tools for manipulating public opinion and swaying electoral outcomes. TikTok’s role in amplifying one candidate’s message over another reveals the vulnerability of democratic elections to algorithmic manipulation, particularly when platforms prioritise engagement over impartiality.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the growing influence of social media platforms, particularly TikTok, on political processes poses significant challenges to the integrity of democratic systems. While these platforms offer opportunities for marginalized voices and the spread of democratic ideals, they also present risks of algorithmic bias, misinformation, and manipulation. As demonstrated in the case of the 2024 Romanian presidential election, unchecked algorithms can amplify certain political messages, distort public opinion, and disrupt electoral outcomes, highlighting the need for greater transparency and regulatory oversight. In an age where digital platforms are increasingly shaping political engagement, it is crucial to ensure these platforms operate impartially and responsibly. Only through robust regulation and greater accountability can we safeguard democracy, ensuring that social media remains a tool for informed, fair political discourse rather than a mechanism for partisan manipulation. The lessons from these cases urge immediate action to protect the democratic process in an era dominated by digital communication.