In brief
French President Emmanuel Macron accused foreign politicians of exploiting nationwide riots in France to advance their campaigns, citing AI‑generated videos that inflamed the unrest. The remarks were made during a visit to Doha, where Macron highlighted misinformation from foreign actors. EU regulators are probing links to pro‑Russian, far‑right, Iranian, and Algerian social‑media accounts that amplified the violence. Authorities have jailed more than 150 participants and are seeking tougher policing measures.
French President Emmanuel Macron has accused foreign politicians of exploiting the nationwide riots that erupted across France this weekend to further their own electoral agendas, pointing to AI‑generated videos that he said aggravated the unrest.
Speaking during a visit to Doha, Macron said that while there was no direct foreign interference in the riots themselves, the spread of fabricated footage by foreign actors had "gives rise to unacceptable comments" from international leaders.
Officials later revealed that some of the videos had been linked to pro‑Russian and far‑right social‑media accounts, while other sources were traced to Iran and Algeria. EU regulators are probing these disinformation networks.
Since the disturbances began, more than 150 people have been jailed and police are calling for tougher policing measures, with Macron declaring the authorities would be "uncompromising" towards agitators from left‑wing fringe groups.
Earlier BBC Verify investigations have identified the viral images and videos as part of a broader disinformation campaign that targeted the French public at a time of heightened political tension. The fact that the footage was AI‑generated is a stark reminder of how rapidly artificial intelligence can be weaponised to influence public opinion.
