On October 30, I submitted to the Romanian Parliamentary Committee for investigating abuses, corruption, and citizens petitions a complaint regarding what happened with accounts that I manage on Facebook, TikTok, and X, and about how my previous complaint filed under Article 53 of the DSA has been handled by the Romanian Digital Services Coordinator.
As many of you know, Romania has been going through a period of democratic regression over the last 12 months. The best known example is the annulment of an election on very flimsy ground.
But what has been almost completely ignored by mainstream and international media is the wave of censorship that accompanied it. I am referring to how independent, critical voices, including those of several journalists, have been censored on social media, and how this is happening under the implementation of the European Digital Services Act.
So, this isn’t just about Romania. It’s a European issue, too. And whatever light can be shed on this matter in Romania is important for all of Europe. Because, if Romania fails to restore free speech and uphold democratic standards, this could signal that such practices will spread to other countries across Europe.
One more comment, related to my work as a journalist, not just to today’s complaint:
After publishing a detailed report on the DSA, I reached out to all the key players involved in the censorship architecture, giving them a right to reply and asking for transparency. So far, I’ve hit a wall. These organizations seem to cover for each other, which is deeply worrying when we’re talking about essential democratic principles like free speech, due process, the right to know your accuser, the right to appeal, and the right to compensation when you’re censored.
So, I really hope the Romanian Parliamentary Committee for investigating abuses, corruption, and citizens petitions will obtain the answers I’ve been looking for. It’s one thing to ignore or lie to a citizen or a journalist, and quite another to do the same with a public institution.
A Comprehensive Report and Two Follow-up Articles
If you’re catching up on this story, here are a few articles I wrote or published that mention my previous complaint.
More Texts Published on the Matter
And here are a few more articles on the subject.
![DSA: Mapping the Actors Involved [EPISODE 1]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Ubeu!,w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F99f765e5-b068-47b3-82c8-1b8d526efcae_1024x1024.png)
Before you go:
Independent journalism takes time, effort, and a lot of stubbornness. But it’s the only way to shed light on critical issues like freedom of speech and censorship.
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