The SREN bill, adopted by the Senate on April 2, 2024, aims to regulate the digital space to protect Internet users, particularly the youngest.
The diehard defenders of individual freedoms will tremble. The SREN bill, recently adopted by the Senate, is a major initiative to regulate the digital space and protect Internet users. It includes measures such as the anti-scam filter, the rapid blocking of pornographic sites accessible to minors and the penalty of banishment from social networks for cyberstalkers.
These measures aim to protect users, particularly younger users, as well as businesses. The text must be definitively voted on by the National Assembly this Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
Protecting against hatred, scams, fake news, and children against pornography
Protecting children from the dangers of the Internet is one of the priorities of this bill. The Audiovisual and Digital Communication Regulatory Authority (ARCOM) is responsible for establishing a benchmark for age verification systems for pornographic sites. Those who do not meet these standards may be blocked and delisted. These measures concern French and non-European sites, and potentially certain European sites.
Furthermore, hosts have an obligation to quickly remove reported child pornography content. Specific provisions have been put in place to protect women in the pornography industry. These provisions include requiring warnings for content simulating sexual violence, and the possibility for actresses and actors to request the removal of videos broadcast in violation of the terms of their contract.
By their own admission, the French do not seem aware of the dangers of exposing their data on the Internet. The SREN bill provides for an anti-scam cybersecurity filter to protect citizens against attempts to fraudulently access their personal information. It also strengthens penalties for those convicted of online hate, cyberstalking and other serious offenses, with possible suspension from social media.
In addition, the text introduces a new offense of online contempt and punishes the dissemination of offensive, discriminatory or harassing content. It regulates the publication of “deepfakes”, establishes education and awareness measures for middle school and university students, and establishes a digital citizen reserve. Finally, it aims to protect against disinformation from foreign media sanctioned by the EU.
Cloud, tourist rentals, Jonum…: a shield of measures intended for businesses
Today, almost no business can do without a cloud service. The SREN bill aims to reduce companies’ dependence on cloud providers, a market currently dominated by three American giants. It introduces measures to regulate data transfer and migration costs, and requires the interoperability of cloud services. ARCEP will be responsible for this regulation.
Provisions were also added for the private storage of sensitive state data.
The text aims to regulate tourist rentals, from which Airbnb owners were until now excluded, by creating an intermediary between online platforms and municipalities. Furthermore, a three-year experimental framework has been introduced for digital games that rely on Web 3 technologies, called Jonum, due to the many risks they represent.
Finally, the text adapts French law for the application of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), two European texts which impose new obligations on digital giants. ARCOM is designated as the coordinator of digital services in France for the DSA, while the DGCCRF will monitor compliance with the obligations of marketplace providers.
For the DMA, the Competition Authority and the Ministry of the Economy will collaborate with the European Commission on the practices of access controllers. French law is also adapted to the Data Act, with new powers for ARCEP and the CNIL. A national network for coordinating the regulation of digital services is established to facilitate collaboration and information sharing.
Source : Public Life
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