President at Paris Peace Forum: Social media platforms – once promise of freedom and transparency – have become vast spaces of manipulation

The Presidency of the Republic of Moldova

President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu participated in the 8th edition of Paris Peace Forum, at the invitation of President of France Emmanuel Macron, where she delivered a speech about the dangers that online manipulation poses to modern democracies.

The event annually brings together heads of state and government, international leaders, experts, and representatives of civil society to discuss solutions to major global challenges – from peace and security to sustainable development and democratic governance.

Maia Sandu emphasized that social media platforms – once the promise of freedom and transparency – have become vast spaces of manipulation, exploited by authoritarian regimes to undermine democratic processes.

“Authoritarian regimes that suppress freedom of expression at home use the same platforms to undermine democracies abroad. They exploit the openness of our societies to spread manipulation, while denying their own citizens this very freedom,” the head of state mentioned.

Maia Sandu also highlighted that online platforms bear responsibility in combating manipulation and misinformation: "Platforms must adhere to their own rules — and the law. They must provide real access to data, disclose who pays for amplification, and accept independent audits of content moderation and political advertising."

During the Forum, Maia Sandu had a meeting with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. The two leaders discussed peace and stability in Europe, protecting the integrity of electoral processes, combating threats to the sovereignty of both countries, and strengthening the resilience of democratic institutions.

President Sandu also met with President of the Chamber of Representatives of the Belgian Parliament Peter De Roover, and discussed Belgium's support for Moldova's European path.

Investments in the Moldovan economy were the main topic of discussion with Director General of the French Development Agency (AFD) Rémy Rioux. The AFD group supports development projects that improve the lives of people in Moldova, including in the areas of energy efficiency, reforestation, and financing small and medium-sized enterprises.

The full speech of the President can be followed here.