France’s Macron Upset With Facebook After Platform Refuses to Delete Fake Coup Video

An AI-generated video, purportedly featuring a coup in France, went viral on Facebook, amassing millions of views. French President Emmanuel Macron urged stricter regulation of digital platforms after he said Facebook initially refused to remove the fake video.

Fake Coup Video in France Concerned President Emmanuel Macron

A recent AI-generated video went viral, purporting to feature a journalist for a non-existent media outlet called “Live 24,” delivering a report about the toppling of France's President Macron. In the background, the Eiffel Tower is seen lit up, accompanied by flashing police lights and a helicopter flying overhead. The reporter claimed that the French President, Emmanuel Macron, had been overthrown.

The video, reportedly posted by a user using the name “ISLAM,” amassed around 13 million views.

The fake scenes from France even misled an African leader, whom Macron said had him get clarification on what was happening in France.

“One of my African counterparts sent me a message saying, ‘Dear President, what is happening in your country?’” Macron told the French regional newspaper La Provence during a visit to Marseille on Tuesday.

Macron said the false report initially amused him, but he soon asked his team to act, reporting the video to Facebook’s parent company, Meta, in an effort to have it removed.

The video of a fake coup in France also spread on other social media platforms such as X and TikTok.

France 24 reported that three days after Macron first learned of the AI-generated fake coup video, the clip was still available online, with a minor label stating that “this content may have been digitally created or altered to seem real.” A few hours later, the video appeared to have been taken down.

This was not the first time France, or Macron, had been targeted by fake news. Earlier in December, another AI-generated video falsely claiming a coup in France circulated online, purportedly broadcast by RFI. That clip, also spread by the user “ISLAM,” amassed more than 3 million views before it was removed.

Macron Calls for Stricter Regulation After Fake Coup Video

At a live event in Marseille, Macron stated that Meta initially refused to remove the video, citing that it did not violate the platform's rules of use.

“These people are mocking us. They don’t care about keeping public debates healthy, they mock the sovereignty of democracies and are putting us in danger,” Macron told the audience.

He added that even his position offered limited influence, saying, “I tend to think that I have more leverage than most […] Well, it doesn’t work. As you can see, we’re not well-enough equipped,” in an apparent reference to U.S. tech giants.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for stricter regulation of digital platforms after he said Facebook refused to remove an AI-generated video falsely alleging a coup in Paris.

Macron criticized what he described as the authorities’ “powerlessness” in the face of online disinformation after the video.

EU Escalates Crackdown on U.S. Tech Giants

European regulators have intensified their scrutiny of major U.S. technology companies, using new digital laws to curb Big Tech’s influence and enhance consumer protection.

On December 5, the European Commission fined X €120 million (about $140 million) for violating transparency requirements under the EU’s Digital Services Act.

X owner Elon Musk criticized the penalty, calling it “crazy” and “insane.” U.S. President Donald Trump reacted by warning Europe to “be very careful.” At the same time, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the fine as an “attack” on American technology companies and the American people.

In January, Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that his platforms, including Instagram, would eliminate most fact-checking policies. This move was widely seen as a response to pressure from incoming President Donald Trump.

“We’re going to get rid of fact-checkers that have been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created, especially in the US,” Zuckerberg said.

President Donald Trump’s administration recently warned that the United States could impose fees or restrictions on European service providers in response to what it described as “discriminatory” measures targeting U.S. companies.

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