France passes bill to allow police remotely activate phone camera, microphone, spy on people (gazettengr.com)

submitted 1 year ago by CrimsonOnoscopy@beehaw.org to c/news@beehaw.org

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[-] bbbhltz@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago

Looks like there are caveats to this law:

You would need to be a suspect in a crime that has a punishment of 5 or more years in prison in order for the phone to be geolocated.

For video/audio you need to fall under the definition of organised crime or terrorism.

BUT... If you are an environmental activist, someone might consider you a type of terrorist. So, this is pretty big news. Plus, there are loads of crimes that have 5 year sentences.

French sauce: https://www.lcp.fr/actualites/justice-l-assemblee-autorise-l-activation-a-distance-des-telephones-portables-pour

[-] dark_stang@beehaw.org 5 points 1 year ago

They're calling all the current protesters terrorists. They'll abuse this to put down any protest.

[-] CrimsonOnoscopy@beehaw.org 0 points 1 year ago

The English language article includes the wording delinquency. You'd say this is a false description, based on the French article?

[-] bbbhltz@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The quote in the French article uses the term les grands délinquants. And in French it is just a synonym of criminal or someone who repeatedly breaks the law. So, not a false description.

In France there are plenty of offences that can net you a maximum 5 year term, so this law will not go unused.

And for those not in the know, France is civil law, not common law: the whole jury thing with lawyers making statements isn't a thing here. Meaning that a judge's interpretation of the law determines punishment.

[-] CrimsonOnoscopy@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

So what this probably means in practice is that this power is assured to be abused to target activists and civil disobedience.

As is tradition, whenever a repression institution is created, it'll be used almost exclusively on the left with a few token Nazis thrown in if they get a little too terroristic for the current tastes of the powers that be.

[-] dinodrinkstea@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Fucking pigs playing persecuters. ACAB

[-] CrimsonOnoscopy@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

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this post was submitted on 06 Jul 2023

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