Research Note: Meta’s Role in Romania’s 2024 Presidential Election

Update Dec 9 2024
The website informat.ro was incorrectly included in our initial report as part of the network. Following a thorough investigation and communication with their editorial team, we can confirm that the website is entirely legitimate. We apologise for any confusion caused. Figures about ads, their reach, impressions and cost brackets were updated accordingly.

The findings highlight systemic failures in the moderation of political advertising on Meta platforms, which allowed influence campaigns to thrive during the 2024 presidential election. A coordinated network of Facebook pages, related to the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), carried out a large-scale advertising campaign. 3,640 political ads were identified, collectively reaching an audience of 148 million. These campaigns, with a budget ranging from €139,858 to €224,083, repeatedly violated Meta’s advertising policies, including requirements for transparency and prohibitions against targeting individuals based on protected characteristics.

In addition to breaches of platform policies, the research suggests that these activities may have also violated Romanian electoral laws. Ads promoting specific candidates were observed running during the legally mandated silence period before voting, raising concerns about compliance with national regulations. Despite clear evidence and public reporting as early as April 2024, Meta failed to take adequate action, allowing the campaign to operate unhindered in the months leading up to the election.

The investigation also reveals evidence of cross-platform coordination, with similar campaigns identified on TikTok and through Google Ads. The lack of transparency and the scale of these operations raise important questions about the accountability of digital platforms in protecting electoral integrity.

These findings underscore the vulnerabilities of tech giants in politically sensitive regions and emphasise the need for more robust safeguards against threats to electoral processes. We’re also warning about potential new attempts to sway the upcoming elections in Romania.

Adequate measures urgently need to be taken by platforms. We urge them to enhance transparency in ad libraries, implement a common standard for ad libraries and foster greater collaboration with independent watchdog organisations.