France's new internet anti-terror law branded 'ineffective' and 'dangerous'
The French Parliament this week formally adopted a new anti-terrorism law, part of which aims to stop terrorists using the internet to attract recruits and plot attacks. It will allow the authorities to block websites that “condone terrorism” and will create a new offence of “individual terrorist enterprise”. One key objective is to stop the “preparation” of attacks via the web. The government, which has rushed these measures through, says they are needed to combat the growing use of the internet and social media by terror groups and in particular to tackle the threat of so-called “lone wolf” terrorists operating in France and elsewhere. But civil liberties groups, judges and the state body that oversees the impact of digital technology have condemned the law as an attack on freedom, ineffective and unworkable. Jérôme Hourdeaux details the new measures.
EarlierEarlier this week the French Parliament formally adopted new anti-terrorism legislation that has been rushed through by the government. The measures approved by the Senate on Tuesday November 4th include provisions aimed at curbing the use of the internet by terrorists - both by groups and so-called “lone wolves”.
