Macron Promises Law to Combat 'Fake News'

French President Emmanuel Macron on January 3 promised new legislation to combat the spread of disinformation and what he called “fake news.”Macron announced plans for the new powers while delivering new year’s remarks to the media,During election periods, he said, new rules would apply.Platforms would be required to be transparent about all sponsored content, making clear who was paying for this content, and also applying limits to the amount of sponsored content, Macron said.Emergency legal action would allow content to be removed, accounts to be suspended, and for users’ access to the internet to be blocked.France’s media regulator, the CSA, would be given new powers to combat “attempts at destabilization” by TV companies owned by foreign powers.In May 2017, Macron accused Russian outlets RT and Sputnik of spreading disinformation about him during the French presidential election campaign.During that campaign, Macron was the subject of numerous online campaigns& and smear attempts&. Credit: Élysée – Présidence de la République française via Storyful