Poland urges EU probe into TikTok AI disinformation

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 1 January 2026 |  JP Global Monitoring Desk

Poland has formally requested that the European Commission investigate TikTok for hosting AI-generated disinformation promoting an EU exit, raising concerns about foreign influence and platform compliance.

Summary

WARSAW — Poland has formally urged the European Commission to open an investigation into TikTok after artificial intelligence‑generated content promoting Poland's leaving the European Union circulated on the platform, officials said. Warsaw argues the material, which it says was almost certainly foreign disinformation, may undermine democratic processes and public order across the bloc.

Deputy Digitalization Minister Dariusz Standerski wrote to the Commission outlining concerns that the narratives and distribution patterns of the videos, which included young women in Polish national colours urging a so‑called Polexit, indicate that TikTok is not meeting its obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act for very large online platforms.

Call for probe into TikTok under the Digital Services Act

In the letter, Standerski said the disclosed content posed a threat to public order, information security, and the integrity of democratic processes in Poland and across the European Union. A Polish government spokesperson also said the recordings contained linguistic features characteristic of Russian syntax, reinforcing the assessment that the disinformation effort was foreign in origin.

The TikTok account at the centre of the dispute has since been removed from the platform, but Warsaw’s move highlights deepening concerns among EU governments about foreign influence operations on social media. The Digital Services Act obliges large platforms to assess and mitigate systemic risks linked to their services, including risks tied to artificial intelligence‑generated content. 

Poland seeks broader enforcement and risks ahead

Officials in Brussels acknowledged receipt of Poland’s request, noting that under the DSA, very large online platforms must evaluate and address risks stemming from their services, especially those related to AI. The European Commission has previously asked platforms to provide information about measures taken to tackle AI risks and has opened formal proceedings in other cases where systemic risks were suspected. 

The episode comes as EU governments intensify efforts to shield elections and democratic debate from foreign interference, with the Digital Services Act granting the Commission authority to impose fines of up to six percent of a platform’s global annual turnover for non‑compliance. Analysts say the case could set a precedent for how AI‑generated content is governed on major platforms operating in Europe. 

KEY POINTS:

• Poland has asked the European Commission to investigate TikTok for hosting AI‑generated videos, urging an EU exit
• Officials said the content was likely Russian disinformation and posed risks to democratic processes
• Deputy Digitalization Minister Standerski cited potential failure to comply with the Digital Services Act
• The TikTok account allegedly spreading the content has been removed from the platform
• The move could influence broader EU enforcement of digital regulations on AI content

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting based on Reuters and media coverage.

PHOTO: AI generated; for illustrative purposes only