President Nicușor Dan has recently announced a significant decision-making process regarding the effective handling of rapid disinformation online, emphasizing the urgency and necessity for swift actions. At almost noon on Wednesday evening, June 11, the Romanian Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) will convene for its next meeting, likely before the end of June. This decision-making process is critical to addressing the ongoing issue of false narratives circulating rapidly online, which could have severe implications for Romanian national security and public trust in governance.
During a recent addressing of citizens in Odesa, Ukraine, Dan pointed out the urgent need for swift response to such rapid spread of disinformation. He stated that the CSAT must be prepared to address questions related to the rapid spread of misinformation in a timely manner, as it may take three hours for such messages to reach a significant number of participants. He emphasized the importance of balancing volume and speed in addressing these issues, cautioning against wasting resources three hours after a false narrative has already reached the public.
At a previous CSAT meeting held on November 28, 2024, just days after the first round of the presidential elections, the officials examined the potential risks posed by cyber actors targeting Romanian IT and communications infrastructure. A key issue discussed was the alleged manipulation of TikTok algorithms in favor of candidate Călin Georgescu, who surprisingly achieved his initial election win. The officials discovered potential misinformation campaigns, particularlylijahor, designed to sway public opinion.
Following this meeting, intelligence reports from agencies such as the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) and the Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE) became publicly accessible. These reports provided further insight into the potential implications of disinformation campaigns on Romania’s social media platforms. On December 6, the Constitutional Court作出了一项历史性决定，废止了第一轮 presidential选举并立即重启了整个选举流程，并予以废止，以拟拉取的名人的 gotten by false claims seeking to heighten public anxiety over the perceived risk of war.
Earlier this month, the Interior Ministry (MAI) and Defense Ministry (MApN) had issued a warning against disinformation campaigns spreading on social media aimed at manipulating public opinion. The latest reports of such claims included documents highlighting potential impose of martial law and border closures, seeking to amplify public concern about potential domestic instability. The latest wave of false reports focused on imposing martial law and border closures, targeting public frustration over potential war and security concerns.
In response to these reports, Dan emphasized the seriousness of the irregularities uncovered and underscored the urgent need for Romania to confront the dangers of disinformation effectively. The president also condemned the actions of the radical organizations responsible for spreading these falsehoods and called for international support to address the global threat of disinformation. Announcing such a decisive action was a daunting task, given the serious nature of the concerns raised by the foreach of these attacks.
