Macron: Freedom of speech is "nonsense"

ParsToday - From the perspective of the French President, freedom of expression without transparency of algorithms is "complete nonsense," and the mechanism guiding online discourse must be clarified.

According to a ParsToday report citing ISNA, French President Emmanuel Macron, in controversial remarks, described the argument put forth by some social media platforms in defense of freedom of expression as "complete bullshit" and called for full transparency regarding how the algorithms that shape online discourse operate. Referring to the broad implications of this issue for democratic systems, he said: "People have no clue how algorithms are built, tested, and trained, and where they lead them."

Macron emphasized that "freedom of expression is completely bullshit if one does not know how they are being guided through this so-called freedom, especially when they are led from one hate speech to another." At the same time, he stressed the need to maintain "public order" and combat racist speech and hateful content in cyberspace.

**Escalating Tensions Between Europe and America Over Freedom of Expression**

Macron's positions come at a time when tensions between the European Union and the United States over the regulation of digital platforms have increased. US President Donald Trump has declared the defense of freedom of expression as the cornerstone of his foreign policy and has criticized Brussels' regulatory approaches towards US-based technology companies. Also, US Vice President J.D. Vance has accused European leaders of restricting freedom of expression and stated that Washington's support for European allies is contingent upon their adherence to "fundamental values."

Conversely, some prominent figures in the technology sector have also criticized the EU's policies. Telegram founder Pavel Durov, following judicial actions in Paris against the social network X, did not consider France a "free country." Elon Musk, after his platform was fined 150 million euros by the European Union, described the bloc as a "bureaucratic monster."

Macron's statements on freedom of expression have once again highlighted the deep transatlantic rift over the boundaries of regulating cyberspace and the role of governments in guiding public discourse.