Blog Update (April 9, 2009): In Stunning Surprise, French Reject Oppressive Internet Law!

Greetings. The proposed new super-surveillance, anti-piracy ISP law is advancing rapidly in France, with supporters promising to reopen Devil's Island and launch new prison galleys for violators.

OK, there's actually no talk of Devil's Island or galleys, and apparently no plans (yet) for bringing back la guillotine, but Inspector Javert would likely still be mightily pleased by the law's lack of basic balance.

This article in today's New York Times gives a good overview of the proposal's various bizarre aspects.

Among the wacky provisions:

-- Handing enforcement powers to ISPs and third parties hired by ISPs

-- Guilty until proven innocent (always speeds up the process!)

-- Making it illegal to have Wi-Fi hotspots that aren't "properly" filtered

-- And other related concepts with the kind of public "appeal" that proved so problematic for Louis XVI

Unaddressed in the article is the question of what happens to people who are "cut off" from their ISPs under such laws. Can they go to another ISP? Is there an "evil users" blacklist to prevent this? If someone is refused service by all ISPs, how will they (and presumably their family members) function in a world where Internet access is increasingly assumed for all manner of basic commercial and governmental functions?

There is debate regarding whether or not the law will pass constitutional muster in France, but the supporters of the measure seem to have forgotten what the phrase Liberty, Equality, Fraternity is all about.

--Lauren--