A French court has found an Algerian social media influencer, Youcef A., also known as Zazou Youssef, guilty of encouraging terrorism on TikTok.
The 25-year-old was sentenced to 18 months in prison for “advocating an act of terrorism” on the platform.
Youssef’s troubles began when he participated in a video on December 31, calling for attacks in France and violence in Algeria.
This video caught the attention of French authorities, leading to his arrest in the western city of Brest.
Prosecutor Camille Miansoni had suggested a two-year prison term, but the court settled on 18 months. Additionally, Youssef has been banned from living in France for 10 years.
TikTok has also taken action, banning the account from which the video was uploaded for violating its hate speech policy.
This case highlights the growing concern about online radicalization and the role of social media platforms in combating extremist content.
