Why social media is being blamed for fueling riots in France

By HALELUYA HADERO
The Associated Press

Social media companies are once again under scrutiny, this time in France as the country’s president blames TikTok, Snapchat and other platforms for helping fuel widespread riots over the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver. On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron accused social media of playing a “considerable role” in encouraging copycat acts of violence as the country tries to tamp down protests that surfaced long-simmering tensions between police and young people in the country. Snapchat says the company has increased its moderation since Tuesday to detect and act on content related to the riots in France. TikTok as well as Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, did not immediately reply for comment.