As riots broke out across France in response to the tragic death of young Nahel during a police check, President Emmanuel Macron denounced the responsibility of social networks. The Head of State met this Friday with representatives of the platforms to take action.
As you probably know, France is currently going through a new social crisis since the tragic death of young Nahel, a 17-year-old boy during a police check in Nanterre. This drama set fire to the powder, causing many riotssometimes extremely violent, in several French cities.
On Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram or Twitter, there are thousands and thousands of photos and videos of the riots. We see in some calls for assembly with uncovered protagonists. The video of the altercation between the policeman and the young man is also circulating en masse on social networks.
Emmanuel Macron calls social networks to responsibility
Faced with this sudden crisis, Emmanuel Macron and several ministers met this Friday at 6 p.m. with the representatives of these major platforms to call on them for a “spirit of responsibility”. The Head of State notably cited Snapchat and TikTok where “violent gatherings” which also causea form of mimicry of violence, which leads in the youngest to a form of exit from reality”.
Spokespersons from Snapchat, TikTok, Meta and Twitter were received by Emmanuel Macron and Jean-Noël Barrot, the Minister in charge of Digital. “We will take several measures in the coming hours (…) first in connection with these platforms, in order to organize the removal of the most sensitive content”.
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A “full collaboration” with the police
Furthermore, the President of the Republic calls for full cooperation of social networks with law enforcement. “Requests will also be made, wherever useful and whenever useful, to obtain the identity of those who use these social networks to call for disorder or to exacerbate violence. assures Emmanuel Macron.
Nevertheless, and as explained by the sociologist specializing in social networks Dominique Boullier on the antenna of France 2, these measures are not sufficient. In his view, it would be wiser to temporarily suspend the likes and views systems. “We must prevent all visibility scores to stem the virality […] it decreases the incentive to be seen, to be reproduced“, he believes.
Source: Le Figaro