President Macron has said his government needs the authority to block social media to curb protests.
First, on July 4, during a meeting with mayors, Macron suggested the government needs the authority to regulate or block social media platforms during major protests.
Both left- and right-leaning lawmakers, meanwhile, characterized the comments about blocking social media made by Macron, who is considered centrist, as anti-democratic.
Elsewhere in the world, social media censorship has increased in recent years.
In an effort to stop people from gathering to protest COVID-19 restrictions, the Chinese government censored discussion of certain cities on social media, according to the BBC.
Persons:
Macron, Emmanuel Macron, Monde, Eliska, —
Organizations:
Service, Police, French, Washington Post, Le Monde, Renaissance Party, Human Rights Watch, Wall Street Journal, Department of Homeland Security, Journal ., New York Times
Locations:
France, Wall, Silicon, Europe, Spain, Belarus, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia, San Francisco