'Hundreds' of pro-Russia TikTok accounts target Czechia's upcoming election

Czech authorities are investigating hundreds of fake TikTok accounts that appear to be spreading pro-Russian content ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections. According to two sources from the country’s state administration, the accounts are part of a coordinated operation resembling a troll farm and are designed to influence voters.

The Center for Online Risk Research identified the suspicious network and found nearly 300 linked accounts, according to an investigation by Czech media outlet Deník N.

By automatically liking, sharing, and commenting on each other’s posts within seconds, the accounts “bypass” TikTok’s algorithm and push videos into the “For You” feed of real users. Some clips gain hundreds of thousands of views within hours, creating the impression of strong public interest.

TikTok, which has more than 2 million users in the Czech Republic (mostly between the ages of 18 and 24) is particularly vulnerable to this type of manipulation. Experts says its recommendation system promotes videos based on early engagement signals, meaning coordinated networks can spiral users into political content they did not actively seek out.

The Center’s analysis shows the network is built in layers: a handful of “content creators” generate original videos, supported by more than 250 accounts that repost and amplify them. 

Examples include inflammatory campaign material from populist politicians such as Tomio Okamura and Radim Fiala (of the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy aprty), and Jindřich Rajchl (PRO party, also far-right).

Signs of automation are clear. Many profiles avoid Czech diacritics entirely, producing distorted names. Others switch suddenly into Russian, Vietnamese, German, or Romanian, or mistakenly comment on unrelated situations, such as political developments in Africa. 

Researchers and security officials say these patterns are consistent with known Russian “troll farm” tactics, where bot-driven networks flood platforms with content to distort local political debate.

“One of the key signals for recommending content is the length of viewing and the number of interactions (likes, comments, shares). This principle can be easily manipulated,” Vendula Prokůpková from the Center for Online Risk Research told 

The Czech Republic has raised the matter with the European Commission and TikTok, which has already blocked or deleted some of the suspicious accounts, Deník N reported. Since Czech regulators cannot trace account origins, authorities say further action will depend on cooperation from the platform.

Similar interference has already been seen in Europe. In Romania last year, TikTok disinformation campaigns prompted the cancellation of the first round of presidential elections.