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馬克龍一個提議，激起軒然大波
據7月5日報道，法國總統馬克龍7月4日表示，如果近期騷亂出現失控，切斷對Snapchat和TikTok等社交媒體平台的訪問可能會成為一個應對選項。
對此言論，法國政府官員隨後出麵“淡化”，指出馬克龍隻是表示這一做法在技術上可行，並未明確表示正在考慮此做法。同時，法國政府在騷亂期間同社交媒體平台方討論時，也沒有提及這一選項，目前可能僅會“暫時暫停一些地理定位功能”。
不過，馬克龍的這番話還引來了法國政界的批評聲浪，一些人就抨擊其提到的做法是“專製主義”，此舉是在“反對民主”。
“政客新聞網”歐洲版報道截圖
據報道，馬克龍4日在愛麗舍宮與大約250名處於騷亂中的城市的市長舉行會議時表示：“我們需要考慮年輕人對這些網絡的使用……以及需要實施的禁令。我說得很清楚，因為這些改變了年輕人與現實的關係。”
“當事情失控時，（我們需要考慮）我們所作的決定，包括行政決定，這樣在某個時候我們可以說，我們有能力監管或切斷它們。重要的是不要在最激烈的時刻這樣做，我很高興我們不必這樣做，但當事情冷卻下來時，我們需要進行真正的辯論。”馬克龍補充道。
7月2日，法國巴黎凱旋門附近，警方加強安保巡邏。圖自澎湃影像
5日，法國政府官員試圖淡化馬克龍關於可能在騷亂期間切斷社交媒體的言論。法國數字部長團隊的一名不具名官員告訴“政客新聞網”歐洲版，馬克龍隻是說技術上有可能這樣做，但並沒有說正在考慮，原則上不應該排除任何可能性。
這位官員補充說，上周五（6月30日），法國政府與社交媒體平台方麵會麵，談論到騷亂期間的內容審核和與司法係統的合作時，沒有與平台方討論（切斷）這一選項。法國數字部長吉恩-諾埃爾·巴羅（Jean-Noël Barrot）4日晚間則表示，行政部門對科技公司在刪除內容、封鎖賬號和向執法部門提供信息方麵的反應感到滿意。
在5日的新聞發布會上，當被問及馬克龍的言論時，法國政府發言人奧利維爾·維蘭（Olivier Véran）表示，政府可能會暫時“暫停一些功能，比如地理定位，讓用戶找到自己在哪裏，展示哪裏的場景等”。據報道，Snapchat應用中的地圖工具被一些暴亂者廣泛使用。
同時，馬克龍的言論也招致了包括其盟友在內的整個法國政界的批評，有人批評他所提到的做法是“專製主義”，而其政黨複興黨的議員埃裏克·博托雷爾（Eric Bothorel）也公開反對這一“潛在的舉措”，認為此舉是“放棄民主”。
據報道，在此次騷亂發生後，一些法國議員本周已經試圖在對法國有關科技法案進行投票時，收緊對社交媒體平台的限製，該法案目前正在議會討論中。
7月4日，馬克龍在愛麗舍宮與市長們會麵。圖自澎湃影像
在4日同眾多市長開會時，馬克龍表示，法國騷亂“高峰期”已過去，但至於是否會永久恢複平靜，仍需保持謹慎。他前一天夜裏突訪巴黎警察總部時則表示，在7月13日或14日——也就是法國國慶節前夕和當天，甚至是未來幾個月，這個國家仍將麵臨考驗。
馬克龍4日還宣布了一項“緊急立法”，以加快重建在騷亂事件中受損的公共基礎設施。
根據法國內政部4日公布的數據，在過去24小時裏，法國城市的夜間暴力事件在過去24小時裏減少了一半，數十座建築物遭到破壞，包括四個警察或憲兵辦公室遇襲，但沒有造成人員傷亡；超過150輛汽車被點燃，數百起垃圾箱或其他公共區域遭縱火。
內政部稱，自6月27日騷亂開始以來，全法共有5900輛車被燒毀，1100棟建築受到不同程度破壞，共記錄到270次針對警察局和憲兵隊的攻擊。法國執法部門共逮捕了3490人。
Macron's call to 'cut off' social media during riots sparks backlash in France
President Emmanuel Macron's government faced a backlash Wednesday after the centrist leader called for powers to "cut off" social media in case of widespread violence like riots over the past week.
French President Emmanuel Macron addresses mayors of cities affected by the violent clashes that erupted after a teen was shot dead by police last week during a meeting at the presidential Elysee Palace in Paris, July 4, 2023. © Ludovic Marin, AP
Macron and his ministers have singled out platforms like Snapchat, TikTok and encrypted messenger Telegram for their role in spreading images of the nights of violence following the June 27 police shooting of a 17-year-old teenager, Nahel M.
"When (social media) becomes a tool for organising or for attempting to kill, it's a real problem," Macron said.
"This is worrying, when we reach the point of saying the only solution is cutting off social networks, you ask yourself what point we've reached" in France, Greens leader Marine Tondelier told broadcaster France Inter Wednesday.
Other opposition politicians from left and right had attacked the proposal, with hard-left France Unbowed chief Mathilde Panot responding to Macron in a tweet with "Ok Kim Jong-Un", referring to the leader of sealed-off North Korea.
Ok Kim Jung-Un. https://t.co/Y8Jzjp0DzJ
— Mathilde Panot (@MathildePanot) July 4, 2023
"Cut off social networks? Like China, Iran or North Korea? Even if it's a provocation to distract attention, it's in very bad taste," conservative parliamentary chief Olivier Marleix also wrote on Twitter.
Some voices were even raised within Macron's parliamentary camp, with MP Eric Bothorel writing that to cut off social networks would mean "giving up on the idea that democracy is stronger than the tools turned against it. It would be a mistake."
Digital Transition Minister Jean-Noel Barrot's office on Wednesday told France Inter that cutting off social networks was "not on the table".
A working group would examine possible "legal tools" and "precisions" that could be added, he told reporters.
"That could mean suspending features... for example some platforms have geolocation features allowing young people to meet at a certain spot, showing (violent) scenes and how to start fires," Veran said.
"That's an appeal to organise hateful acts in public and we'd have the authority to suspend it".
(AFP)
Macron floats social media cuts during riots
https://www.politico.eu/article/macron-mulls-cutting-access-social-media-during-riots/
French president’s remarks drew comparisons to authoritarian regimes — and the government is already trying to backpedal.
BY LAURA KAYALI AND ELISA BERTHOLOMEY JULY 5, 2023
PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron told mayors on Tuesday that one option when riots are out of control could be to cut access to social media platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok, according to footage of his speech seen by POLITICO.
"We need to think about the use of these networks by the youth ... and about the bans that need to be put in place. And I say this very clearly, because they change the way young people relate to reality," Macron said at a gathering at the Elysée Palace with some 250 mayors of cities targeted during the riots.
"And [we need to think about] the decisions we make, including administrative decisions, when things get out of hand, so that at some point we can say we're in a position to regulate or cut them off. It's important not to do it in the heat of the moment, and I'm glad we didn't have to, but it's a real debate we need to have when things cool down," he added.
French news channel BFMTV first reported on the president's comments, which attracted criticism for echoing measures taken by authoritarian regimes such as China and Iran.
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The killing of a 17-year-old of North African descent by a police officer last week threw France into chaos, sparking violent demonstrations across the country and reigniting long-simmering tensions between youths and the police, who have been accused of brutality and racial discrimination. In the past week, rioters have looted stores, targeted schools, police stations, libraries and other public buildings.
Last week, Macron blamed social media platforms and video games for adding fuel to the fire.
Backpedaling
On Wednesday, the French government tried to downplay Macron's remarks about potentially cutting social media during unrest.
"The president said it was technically possible, but not that it was being considered. Nothing should be ruled out on principle," a French official from Digital Minister Jean-Noël Barrot's team, who was granted anonymity as they're not allowed to speak publicly, told POLITICO.
The government didn't discuss the option with platforms when they met on Friday to talk about content moderation and cooperation with the justice system during the turmoil, the official added. Barrot told senators Tuesday evening that the executive branch was satisfied with the tech companies' reactivity in removing content, blocking accounts and providing information to law enforcement.
Asked about Macron's comments during a press conference on Wednesday, government spokesman Olivier Véran said there could be temporary "suspensions of functionalities, such as geolocation, which allows users to find themselves in such and such a place, to show such and such a scene." Snapchat's mapping tool was reportedly widely used by rioters to organize themselves.
Macron's remarks on potential social media cuts drew criticism from across the political spectrum, including from his own allies. Leaders from the Socialists and the conservative party Les Républicains made comparisons with authoritarian regimes such as Iran, China and Russia. "OK Kim Jong Un," tweeted MP Mathilde Panot from the left-wing France Unbowed.
Eric Bothorel, an MP from Macron's Renaissance party who works on tech policy, also spoke out against the potential clampdown. "This would mean abandoning the idea that democracy is stronger than the tools used against it. That would be a mistake," he tweeted.
Violence erupted last week after a 17-year-old boy, named as Nahel M., was shot dead by police | Christophe Simon/AFP via Getty Images
France has endorsed several U.N. resolutions condemning internet cuts by governments, including one in 2021 against "using internet shutdowns to intentionally and arbitrarily prevent or disrupt access to or dissemination of information online."
In the wake of the riots, some French lawmakers this week have tried to tighten the screws on social media platforms during votes on France's tech bill, which is currently under discussion in the parliament.
Senator Patrick Chaize from Les Républicains has pushed for online platforms to remove violent content flagged by the authorities within two hours when the country is plagued by riots or social movements. He agreed to withdraw his amendment but made the government promise rules for social media during riots would be reworked and presented at the National Assembly in the fall.
Océane Herrero contributed reporting.
