January 5, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
PARIS — In a landmark decision underscoring Europe’s growing legal scrutiny of online harassment, a Paris criminal court has convicted 10 individuals of cyberbullying France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, in a case tied to false and defamatory claims about her gender identity and personal life.
The ruling, delivered on Monday, January 5, determined that the defendants eight men and two women aged between 41 and 65 engaged in a coordinated online campaign that spread persistent rumours falsely asserting that Brigitte Macron was a transgender woman born male. Judges described the comments as “particularly degrading, insulting, and malicious,” noting the cumulative harmful effects of the repeated posts and videos across social media platforms.
Sentences in the case varied: several defendants received suspended prison terms ranging from four to eight months, while one individual, absent from the hearing, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. In addition to custodial penalties, the court ordered all 10 to participate in cyberbullying awareness training and imposed restrictions, including temporary bans from certain social media accounts used to disseminate the content.
The defamatory claims also included grotesque attempts to link the 24-year age difference between Brigitte Macron and President Emmanuel Macron to alleged “paedophilia,” rhetoric the court rejected as unfounded and harmful. Such accusations are rooted in longstanding online conspiracy theories that have circulated since Macron’s political ascent.
Brigitte Macron did not attend the trial, which took place over two days in October, but addressed the issue publicly on French television the night before the verdict. She stated her intention to set a precedent in the fight against online harassment, particularly to support young people affected by digital abuse.
Her daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, also testified during the proceedings, affirming the profound personal toll the relentless online attacks had taken on the first lady and her family, including emotional distress and reputational harm.
The case reflects broader concerns in France and across Europe about the weaponisation of social media to spread conspiracy theories and defamatory content, particularly when aimed at public figures. French prosecutors and judicial authorities have increasingly treated cyberbullying and disinformation as serious criminal offences with real-world consequences.
The convictions come amid parallel legal efforts by the Macrons to pursue defamation claims internationally. In the United States, the couple has filed a high-profile lawsuit against conservative media figure Candace Owens, alleging she propagated similar false claims in a widely distributed podcast series.
French authorities have characterised this conviction as both a legal and cultural affirmation that digital platforms should not serve as havens for harmful misinformation campaigns, and that accountability extends to individuals who weaponise online anonymity to degrade and defame others.
As online harassment continues to evolve with advancing technology, this ruling is seen by legal experts as indicative of a broader shift toward stricter enforcement against cyberbullying in Europe and a reaffirmation of legal protections for individuals including public figures against defamatory abuses in digital spaces.