Macron intervenes after fake 'coup' video reaches 12 million views

WISE NEWS PRESS / PARIS, FRANCE — DECEMBER 23, 2025

French President Emmanuel Macron has personally intervened to demand the removal of an AI-generated deepfake video that falsely claimed a military coup had toppled his government in Paris.

The "convincing" video, which amassed over 12 million views on Facebook, featured a news anchor reporting an unconfirmed coup led by an anonymous colonel. President Macron revealed in a recent article that he first learned of the fabrication when an African counterpart messaged him in alarm. Despite a formal request from France’s illegal content reporting platform, Pharos, Facebook’s parent company Meta initially refused to take down the video, citing it did not violate "community standards."

The rise of hyper-realistic AI misinformation

Euronews' verification team, The Cube, identified that the footage was generated using advanced AI technology, likely OpenAI’s "Sora 2." This software allows users to create hyper-realistic videos from simple text prompts, making it increasingly difficult for the public and even foreign leaders to distinguish fact from fiction. Some versions of the video even included the logo of Radio France Internationale (RFI) on the microphones to add a layer of false legitimacy.

"They are mocking us"

Following the platform's initial refusal to act, Macron expressed his frustration with the lack of accountability from social media giants. "They care neither about the peace of public debate nor democracy," Macron stated, adding that such platforms put democratic institutions at risk. "They are mocking us." The video was eventually removed a week after its initial upload following intense political pressure and widespread public outcry.

Investigations suggest the account responsible for the post, titled "Islam," was managed by a young individual in Burkina Faso who uses AI tools to generate profit through online courses. The incident has reignited global debates over the need for stricter regulations on AI-generated content and the responsibility of social media platforms in curbing high-stakes misinformation.

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