French President Emmanuel Macron has renewed his call for tighter control of online speech. His comments have raised fresh concerns about how far governments should go when regulating what people say on the internet.
Macron made the remarks during a question-and-answer session at Complutense University in Madrid on September 29. The event took place during his state visit to Spain. The French presidency later published a transcript of the discussion.
During the session, Macron criticised the American approach to free speech. He argued that freedom cannot exist without limits. In his view, one person’s freedom must stop where it affects the freedom of others.
He compared online speech to behaviour in public. Macron said people cannot claim freedom as a reason to hit, insult or damage shared spaces. Critics of this argument may point out that physical violence and offensive speech are not the same thing.
Macron also argued that people should be held responsible for what he described as “nonsense” posted online. This raises another question: who should decide what counts as false or unacceptable content?
He supports stronger action against social media users and platforms. He also wants online accounts to be linked to real people. Age checks could also be used to prevent children from accessing social media.
Macron urged for a quicker and stronger implementation of the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA). He said he had contacted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about the issue.
He also pointed to traditional media. Journalists and editors can face legal consequences for publishing false or unlawful material, he said. Macron believes similar responsibility should apply online. He suggested using trusted organisations and fact-checking groups to help establish what is true. However, trust in traditional media is at an all-time low, with more people turning to independent media.
The French president also discussed his plans to restrict social media access for children under 15. France’s Constitutional Council previously rejected the proposed ban, saying it raised concerns about freedom of expression and privacy.
Macron said France would introduce new legislation. He also discussed age verification and the possible use of artificial intelligence. He claimed these systems could protect users’ personal information and that collected data would not be stored.
The comments have added to the debate over online freedom, privacy and government regulation. Macron says stronger rules are needed to protect users. Critics, however, may question whether greater state control could create new risks for free expression.
The debate is likely to continue as European governments consider stronger rules for social media users.
