How to fight against urban violence? This is the thorny question the government is trying to answer. Among the avenues considered, Emmanuel Macron would like to be able to regulate or cut social networks in the event of a crisis. To work on the subject, Olivier Véran, the government spokesperson, proposes the creation of a cross-party group to study the regulation of digital tools.
But in the political landscape, the announcement divides. On the side of the Nupes, the Left Alliance which brings together La France insoumise, Europe Écologie les Verts (EELV), the Communist Party and the Socialist Party, there are cries of censorship and an admission of impotence.
“Solutions that only exist in dictatorships”
“The President of the Republic cannot censor social networks”, annoys PS deputy Arthur Delaporte. “There are not only European rules, but there is also our own Constitution. So that would mean that he would have to change our Constitution. And then it is the sign of a president who no longer knows about what a saint to turn to and who is looking for solutions that only exist in dictatorships”, he continues at the microphone of Europe 1.
On the side of the national rally, we are talking about a worrying drift while among the Republicans, we are more than ever divided. Olivier Marleix condemns a provocation in very bad taste by the Head of State, while LR deputy Alexandre Vincendet pleads for strong control of content on the Internet.
The right divided on the issue
“Social networks cannot act as if they have no responsibility. We see it today, there is competition between neighborhoods and between thugs to see who will destroy the most, the best, or the fastest. And it is also a tool to be able to mobilize, to be guilty of this violence. It is absolutely necessary to regulate it, to put back extremely strict rules of the game, “insists the deputy LR.
And the question is invited to the Senate in the debates on the security of the Internet. The Minister responsible for the Digital Transition, Jean-Noël Barrot, proposed a working group on Tuesday on the measures to be taken in the event of riots.