French President Emmanuel Macron has called for stronger regulation of digital platforms after Facebook refused to remove an AI-generated video falsely claiming a coup in Paris. Macron said the video, alleging a colonel had seized power in France, garnered over 12 million views and caused concern even among foreign diplomats. He described the situation as demonstrating the “powerlessness” of authorities in the face of online disinformation.
During a meeting with readers of La Provence in Marseille on Tuesday, Macron revealed he received an alarmed message from an African counterpart asking, “Dear President, what is happening in your country? I am very worried.” He added that despite instructing his team to request the removal of the video, Facebook declined, claiming it did not violate its terms of service.
The incident adds to ongoing tensions between European leaders and US-based social media companies. Earlier this month, the European Commission fined X €120 million for breaching transparency rules under the Digital Services Act. US officials, including Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, criticized the fine, while X owner Elon Musk called it “crazy” and “insane.”