MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th July, 2023) The French government plans to form a cross-party parliamentary group to consider introducing restrictions on social media in the event of mass riots, government spokesman Olivier Veran said on Wednesday.
"We want a cross-party working group including parliamentarians of all political movements of both chambers of parliament to jointly consider, based on previous events, changes to the bill that was presented at the council of ministers a few weeks ago, which considers cybersecurity and the use of digital tools," he told a briefing.
During riots, several features of social media platforms could be disabled, for example geolocation, which "allows users to gather in a certain place and share locations," Veran said. He recalled that during the recent unrest, now subsiding, the government asked social media platforms to promptly remove publications that could incite violence and to strip users of their anonymity when crimes occur.
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron noted the possibility of shutting down social networks if the situation in the country deteriorates.
Last Tuesday, police shot and killed a 17-year-old teenager during a traffic stop in Nanterre after he allegedly refused to obey their orders. The incident sparked a wave of protests that later escalated into riots and looting in several French cities. The French Interior Ministry was reporting hundreds of rioter detentions and dozens of police officers injured daily throughout the week.
