TikTok has removed 34 accounts linked to what it described as coordinated inauthentic activity connected to Bulgaria’s upcoming parliamentary elections. The platform stated that the operation was aimed at artificially boosting political narratives in favor of the DPS party and was detected with the help of information provided by the Balkan Free Media Initiative (BFMI) through its “TikTokcracy Tracker.”

According to TikTok’s global election integrity team, the takedown followed an internal investigation into a network operating from Bulgaria and targeting Bulgarian users. The removed accounts reportedly had a combined following of 66,763 users. In its statement, the company said: “To protect the integrity of our platform, we have dedicated teams of experts focused on countering misleading behavior and attempts to mislead our community.” It also confirmed that the network was coordinated across multiple platforms.

The broader context of the case highlights concerns about electoral integrity ahead of the April 19 vote, where responsibility for preventing manipulation is divided between digital platforms, national institutions, and regulatory bodies. Observers note that it remains unclear who ultimately ensures action is taken when suspicious activity is identified.

BFMI argues that its findings prompted the platform’s intervention, but also stresses that similar cases have not been addressed with the same speed or consistency across all services. The organization raises the issue of whether existing European and national mechanisms are sufficient to respond to coordinated online influence during election periods.

The Bulgarian caretaker government has activated the Rapid Response System under the Digital Services Act (DSA), following similar steps taken in other countries in the region, including Moldova, Romania, and Hungary. However, analysts note that the system was not designed as a permanent electoral enforcement tool. Its repeated activation in consecutive election cycles is seen by some as evidence of structural weaknesses rather than isolated incidents.

Institutional response within Bulgaria is also under scrutiny. The Central Election Commission has not launched an investigation into the use of social media pages for campaign purposes, despite public reports and concerns about possible illegal financing. Critics argue that the gap between available evidence and institutional reaction has become a defining issue of the current election environment.

At the same time, enforcement capacity remains fragmented. Bulgaria lacks a dedicated digital services coordinator with rapid response capability, as well as a fully developed national monitoring body. Cooperation between institutions and platforms is described as limited, contributing to delays in addressing potential violations.

The situation is expected to intensify as election day approaches, with concerns that online influence campaigns typically escalate in the final days of voting. BFMI warns that removing accounts from TikTok does not necessarily end their activity, as similar networks may continue operating on other platforms, including Facebook, where no comparable enforcement action has been reported.

While TikTok has demonstrated willingness to cooperate with civil society and provide access to research tools, Meta has not taken comparable measures regarding the flagged networks, according to BFMI assessments. This uneven response is seen as a key factor complicating coordinated enforcement efforts across platforms.

BFMI also notes that earlier monitoring indicated unusually high engagement figures for political content on TikTok, including millions of views linked to public figures such as President Rumen Radev, which it argues may not be fully explained by organic reach alone.