Foreign Minister accuses Russia of trying to manipulate influencers in France

Jean-Noël Barrot calls on “content creators and their subscribers to be extremely vigilant regarding these threats which weigh on our public debate”.

Russia is trying to manipulate influencers in European countries, including France, denounced the resigning Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot on Wednesday, December 18. He calls “content creators and their subscribers must be extremely vigilant regarding these threats which weigh on our public debate”. “France is targeted by several types of foreign digital interference”, declared Jean-Noël Barrot during a hearing before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly.

“The operating methods deployed are varied and they evolve frequently. The recent elections in Moldova and Romania, for example, illustrated the massive use of influencers on social networks and in particular on Twitter to disrupt the vote,” he added. “We have elements which confirm that Russia is also trying to manipulate influencers in other European countries, including France”he continued, while the newspaper The World reported Wednesday that thousands of influencers, including French, were approached by people close to the Kremlin to spread pro-Russian propaganda.

The daily quotes “a source within the French intelligence services” which claims that more than 2,000 European content producers have been contacted. “U“twenty of them, including nine French people, would have accepted the deal”écrit The World. “Investigations are ongoing”declared Jean-Noël Barrot. “And in this area, you have to be resolute, keep your cool. You have to understand the threat. Put on a united front and choose the right tools to respond to it.”he also reacted, specifying that France has strengthened its tools “pto detect and characterize digital interference”.