French government could cut off social media during unrest, says Macron (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 1 year ago by reclipse to c/world@lemmy.world

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Here is a summary of the article:

• French President Emmanuel Macron has said the government should have the power to control social media networks during periods of unrest.

• Macron made the comments during an interview with a French TV station. He was referring to recent protests in France against the government's cost of living policies.

• Macron said during periods of crisis, the government needs the power to "block content that goes against republican values and is clearly creating confusion and putting people's lives at risk."

• Critics say Macron's call for more government control of social media raises concerns about censorship and freedom of speech.

• Opposition politicians accused Macron of attacking fundamental French freedoms and wanting to restrict the free flow of information.

• Macron countered that social media networks are already heavily regulated in France over issues like hate speech and terrorist propaganda. He argued the government needed similar powers during unrest.

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[-] zefiax@lemmy.world 19 points 1 year ago

How can a modern democracy even consider doing this? I mean I am not fan of most social media but still, this sounds like something you would see in Iran or China.

[-] baascus@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

The implementation of such measures in a democratic society should be viewed as an infringement on freedom of speech and expression, which are fundamental rights in a democracy. The balance between maintaining public safety and upholding civil liberties is a delicate one. Therefore, these measures must be considered as a last resort in extreme situations. The current situation doesn’t appear to be extreme.

[-] reclipse 2 points 1 year ago

This happens in India on a regular basis.

this post was submitted on 05 Jul 2023

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