Macron Calls for New Laws to Combat Online Misinformation

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for urgent legislative changes that would allow for the rapid blocking of false information circulating online, citing growing concerns over targeted misinformation campaigns and personal harassment.

During an address in the northeastern town of Mirecourt on Friday, November 28, Macron revealed he had convened a defense council meeting on information warfare and requested proposals for new legal mechanisms to combat harmful content on social media platforms.

“I asked for help with a task that needs to be completed by the end of the year,” Macron told attendees at a regional press event, part of a broader national tour that has included similar forums in Toulouse and Arras. The president emphasized his desire to see these new procedures enshrined in French law “as soon as possible.”

The proposed legislation would establish summary proceedings against content deemed to be “false information” or “information that is harmful” to an individual’s dignity. Central to Macron’s proposal is a mechanism allowing judges to issue rulings within 48 hours that would compel the removal of offending posts.

Macron cited several examples of harmful misinformation, including false claims that France had deployed 1,000 legionnaires to Ukraine. “You may have read it, maybe even believed it for a moment,” he noted. “All of that was completely false.”

The president also referenced the personal toll of online harassment, particularly against his wife, First Lady Brigitte Macron, who has long been the target of persistent and false claims that she was born male. “We are completely powerless. It takes an enormous amount of time, it continues, people see it, and there are those who are foolish enough to believe it is true,” Macron said. “And that undermines you.”

The Macron administration’s concern over misinformation has intensified in recent years, particularly in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. French officials have repeatedly warned about Russian disinformation campaigns targeting European nations, which they say have grown in both scope and sophistication.

The couple has taken unprecedented legal action to combat these persistent falsehoods. They have filed a lawsuit in the United States against American conservative commentator Candace Owens, who they accuse of amplifying transgender conspiracy theories about the First Lady. According to their U.S. attorney, the Macrons plan to present “scientific evidence” and photographs to definitively prove that Brigitte Macron is a woman.

This push for new legislation comes as European nations grapple with the growing challenge of regulating online content while balancing free speech concerns. The European Union has already implemented the Digital Services Act, which places new responsibilities on tech platforms to moderate content, but Macron’s proposal suggests France may seek additional national measures to address specific forms of misinformation.

Media experts note that the proposed 48-hour judicial review process would represent a significant acceleration compared to traditional legal remedies, which can take months or years to resolve—often long after harmful content has already spread widely across social networks.

The French president’s initiative is part of a broader strategy to engage directly with regional media outlets, which he views as crucial allies in the fight against misinformation. Last month, Macron hosted representatives from regional newspapers to discuss their role in preserving democratic discourse in an era of social media dominance.

As digital misinformation continues to evolve as a national security concern across Western democracies, Macron’s proposed legislative changes could establish a new precedent for how governments respond to online falsehoods targeting public figures and institutions.