The executive clarifies Emmanuel Macron’s comments on the possibility of “regulating or cutting” social networks in the event of riots. The government could consider “suspending functionalities” on social networks in the event of new violence but does not intend to carry out a “generalized blackout” of the platforms, the government assured Wednesday July after presidential remarks which are controversial.
The President of the Republic had declared Tuesday that “we need to have a reflection on the use of these networks among the youngest, in families, at school, the prohibitions that we must put”, according to remarks reported by the press and confirmed by the Elysée. “When things get carried away for a moment, say to yourself: we may be putting ourselves in a position to regulate them or cut them off,” he said.
Asked to clarify these comments made the day before by Emmanuel Macron before some 300 mayors of municipalities who were victims of violence during the riots, government spokesman Olivier Véran clarified on Wednesday that “it could be suspensions of functionalities”, referring to the tools available during situations such as the riots sparked by the death of young Nahel on June 27.
“For example, you have geolocation functions, on certain platforms, which allow young people to find themselves in such and such a place, by showing scenes, how to set fires etc… These are calls for the organization of the hatred in the public space and there you have the authority to be able to suspend”, he declared during the report of the Council of Ministers.
A working group in the Senate
According to the Head of State’s entourage, President Emmanuel Macron “has never said that he was planning to cut the networks in the sense of a generalized blackout”. It is about “being able to punctually and temporarily suspend social networks”, added this source.
The Minister responsible for the Digital Transition Jean-Noël Barrot proposed Tuesday evening in the Senate the establishment of a working group on the measures to be taken in the event of riots. This “transpartisan and joint working group”, whose first meeting could take place next Wednesday, will “first analyze on social networks what could possibly have malfunctioned during the tragic week that has just passed, and formulate on this basis of the recommendations”, added the minister on Wednesday. They could be adopted within the framework of the examination in the National Assembly of the bill aimed at securing digital technology, currently under discussion in the Senate, he specified.