Sarko to use G8 presidency to promote net regulation

Nicolas Sarkozy plans to use France's presidency of the G8 this year to promote international cooperation on greater regulation of the internet, according to reports. "How do you respond to the problem of terrorism, of paedophilia, to subjects such as the right to be forgotten?" an unnamed source in Sarkozy's entourage was …

[Graham Marsden]

"How do you respond to the problem...?"

Why, by State Control of the Right to Freedom of Expression of course!

And by bringing up the bogeymen of paedophiles and terrorists it just makes it so much easier because we're Thinking of the Children!

[Bristol Dave]

Standard response

Won't somebody PLEASE think of the cheeeeeeldren?

[Vladimir Plouzhnikov]

Sarkozy?

Napoleon also thought it was a moral imperative to bring Europe (Britain included) under the benevolent and progressive rule of the French Republic. I see the old ideas die hard.

[Anonymous Coward]

Lies!

Britain's not in Europe! *spits*

[Ivan Slavkov]

As my uncle used to say

Platform shoes can go a long way towards decreasing the level of imperativeness of such moral urges.

As my uncle used to say - if Napoleon was 2 inches taller he would have never attacked Russia and we would have all been speaking French instead of English today.

[DJV]

Does not compute!

"How do you respond to the problem of terrorism, of paedophilia, to subjects such as the right to be forgotten?"

Just asking... but what happens when the terrorists and paedophiles ask for their right to be forgotten? Will Sarky's brain throw a "does not compute" wobbly and explode? Now THAT would probably be a good result!

[Anonymous Coward]

exactly.

Now, Please forget me.

[Destroy All Monsters]

Just what the doctor ordered

Population in uproar? EURO on the brink of becoming colorful toilet paper? No jobs left in the welfare state? Presidency in the dumps? Prize wife shows cold shoulder?

REGUALTE TEH INTERNETS!

[Elmer Phud]

ahem

'REGUALTE TEH INTERNETS!'

To keep to standardised misspelling(sp?) it should read 'INTERENTS' or similar.

[Sarah Bee]

Re: ahem

When you start being pedantic about stuff that isn't even correct to begin with then we are all fucked.

Although to be fair it has always irritated me when people pluralise whatever is subbing in for 'base' in 'all your base are belong to us'.

Anyway, in summary, shush.

[Anonymous Coward]

Dear G8 President

Fuck Off.

Hopefully that's clear enough for you.

Signed

The people.

[Ivan Slavkov]

Why so harsh?

We should just sent him a set of platform shoes as a present. _EVERY_ _ONE_ _OF_ _US_. That would do a better job.

[Anonymous Coward]

On balance.

Yes we should, but can we make the left shoe shorter than the other?

This might stop him leaning to the extreme right.

[Anonymous Coward]

"moral imperative"

thank you for clarifying that, the problem that many people seem to agree on is: the internet is immoral because it allow everybody to do what they want to do.

but here is a question for you, what is "moral" and why should the internet be regulated by *YOUR* moral standard? (assuming you have any morals). Even if you try to added some "common moral" as the standard, then the question is who's morals are we talking about, western christens? perhaps the church? So where does this level the none christens?

Even if you do (somehow) manage to agree on what is immoral, what right do you have to censor the access to that resource from people who do _NOT_ find it immoral? And the many many more who do not give a damn about it!.

let us take porn as an example, many agree that it is immoral. But isn't it one of the most access resource on the internet? What does that tell you about what people believe to be "immoral"?

What about things that you find to be immoral while the next 10 guys find it offensive and the next 100 guys don't give a damn about it and the next 1000 guys like it? (note the 1000 guys who like it might still find it immoral, example porn).

if you wish to censor the internet then by all means go ahead (I am not French), but please do what is _morally_ right and be _honest_ about it.

[ph0b0s]

Keep your morality away from me....

Beware of anyone doing anything using words like 'morality' or 'faith' to do anything. If something is really wrong you don't need to use the word morality as people just know it is wrong instinctively, no need for moral justifications.

The only time these word get used as justifications is when someone is imposing their morality or faith on others. Which is morally wrong, ....... right?

Also love politicians. A system that was designed to be invulnerable to any kind disruption or regulation. We need to regulate that.

And finally as I commented on another story here. Always love how people happily hand over controls to governments with the promise that it will help them be protected from terrorism and pedo's. Then get surprised when the government misuse those controls on something that is not terrorism or child protection related.

[Sir Runcible Spoon]

Sir

I agree, and furthermore..

Moral Imperative != Legal Imperative - by what right are they going to try and regulate something that is global by its very nature?

The phrase "This is not to constrain the freedom of the Internet", is a lot like saying

"I only want to make you a little bit pregnant."

Once the structure is in place, it just needs someone to come along to abuse it.

[Anonymous Coward]

No title!

Electricity has Electrons, Morality has?

[It wasnt me]

Its just cause he's short.

Pat him on the head and he'll go away.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Its just cause he's short

if you disagree with someones argument or point of view then you should be big enough to respectfully disagree. Making fun of their physical treats is not the proper way to disagree with someone (no matter how silly their argument might be).

[Ted Treen]

What do I have to do

to get some "Physical Treats"?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: What do I have to do

thank you for pointing out the mistake in my Engrish, I really am grateful for that.

[mhenriday]

With friends like M Sarkozy,

internet freedom hardly needs enemies....

Henri

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't worry, it's France

Since when has France ever managed to control anything. Heck, they needed the UK and US to free them from Hitler.

[JaitcH]

Yet another ignorant politician demonstrating he is technically dumb

Why are politicians such control freaks? Of course this particular idiot has a complex cultural background so it is hard to determine which way he will head.

The only good news is that the EU has such a mass that it takes almost the length of a presidency to gather momentum.

Could the 'special relationship talks of with France be centred around the fact they are both beholden to Hollywood and the elimination of piracy?

There are so many more pressing matters than diddling with the InterNet, like financial collapse.

[Sir Runcible Spoon]

Sir

"Why are politicians such control freaks?"

because they think it's their job. They've forgotten that they who govern best govern least.

Someone will always ask "If they're not coming down hard on _someone_ what are they being paid for?"

I do believe that the populace gets what they vote for. If sheeple didn't react to sensationalist tripe all the time, the Politicians would have to work for a living.

[John Smith 19]

JaitcH

"The only good news is that the EU has such a mass that it takes almost the length of a presidency to gather momentum."

I would not rely on EU sluggishness. Remember the history of the passing of the EU Data Retention Directive (M. Blair's little passing gift to the rest of Europe).

I wonder do politicians who talk about morals sound equally dumb in *all* parts of Europe? I could sort of imagine one in say Germany *possibly* pulling it off but really, France, Italy or Great Britain?

[Anonymous Coward]

Sir Scuzzy

Even if morality was an appropriate way to regulate the internet, what does SirScuzzy know about it?

Think of the little people

[Anonymous Coward]

Another Storm of off piste desires?

I used to attend international conventions and conferences where sometimes contentious subjects might be discussed. The French were quite good at sitting through long meetings and suddenly realising what had been said. They would realise how their security forces would not like the way that it would impact on their 'secret activities'. Some present at the meetings could not avoid the temptation to wind them up! I can see this storm as being yet another example of using one undoubtedly unsavoury set of subjects to create yet another control freak centric mess. One that other countries will have to resolve.

Anonymous for reasons detectable from the above text.

[Anonymous Coward]

if you want...

to do a china in your own country then fine, but leave mine out of it....

signed, me

Fail, because security generally does.

[Queeg]

This sound familiar..

Lets see..

Short

French

Obnoxious

Control Freak

Pretty Bint on his arm

Wants to expand his control outside his countries borders.

SHIT! Napoleon's back

Oy Sarko,I hear Elba is nice this time of year.

[Ted Treen]

Even if he followed your advice...

...he'd end up in India.

Clearly, he doesn't know Madras from his Elba

[Anonymous Coward]

L'habit ne fait pas le moine

Nabot-leon is much less talented than Bonaparte.

[Kubla Cant]

Here's a challenge

All the politicians and others who are so keen to control the Internet can start by eliminating the spam that constitutes 80% of email traffic. I don't suppose anyone will object to that.

It's also a fairly restricted problem domain, so it will be a useful opportunity for them to showcase the massive technical knowlege they bring to the task.

[John Tserkezis]

Morality is not law...

Unless a corrupt polititian creates laws that enforce their morality.

Sarkozy makes it easy to pick the corrupt ones...

[Ted Treen]

@John

"corrupt politician" is tautology.

[Anonymous Coward]

please get rid of him

I can't wait to see the day political decisions are made by the actual people who lives in the country in real-time via the net rather than a bunch of egotist that pockets public money and doing nothing you actually want them to do.

[Alpha Tony]

@please get rid of him

"I can't wait to see the day political decisions are made by the actual people who lives in the country in real-time via the net"

Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea. Perhaps an evaluation of the different options could be provided first by a virtual Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Piers Morgan. Ant and Dec could run podcasts analysing the results.

It would certainly make for some entertaining new laws. I can see it now -

Mandatory death sentences for anyone attempting to recycle cats, but allowances made for shooting your ex-girlfriend.

A new monarch decided every three months from a selection of has-been celebrities on the basis of which one can eat the most kangaroo testicles.

Gillian McKeith appointed head of the NHS.

A new national anthem to be written and performed by Jedwood.

I can't wait.

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually...

It doesn't works that bad in Switzerland.

It's even quite efficient on raising a lot of controversial issues that no politician would dare to examine (minarets anyone?)

[John Smith 19]

When a politician starts talking "morality" you know what end he's talking out of.

That is all.

[T J]

"How do you....."

"......just f***** off and leave the internet and people's privacy alone?"

[ShaggyDoggy]

I need to get out more

I read that one as

"......just f***** off and leave the internet and people's piracy alone?"

[Anonymous Coward]

"how we can regulate the virtual city"

You can start by not calling it a virtual city.

I hate it when politicians talk about the internet. Makes me feel like two long-haul truck drivers are molesting me in a truck stop bathroom.

[Vladimir Plouzhnikov]

Virtual City

Of course it is not a virtual city! It's a series of tubes.

[LawLessLessLaw]

bunch of ranters

> to see how we can regulate the virtual city **while still regarding the internet as an opportunity**

an opportunity for whom and for what ?

Commerce is already doing fine, no need to touch that

anyway, I hope morality is just a smokescreen.

"The bombs dropped on Hiroshima killed 200,000 people, so you can stuff your morality" - crass

[Francis Offord]

Bloody Anura amphibians

I wonder how the frogs became so matey with "Barak room lawyer" and his entourage all of a sudden. That whirring sound must be Charles de Gaulle rotating at speed in his tomb. If they continue in the same vein they will not be "best friends" for long as they will discover that Yanks are are even more acquisitive they they are and have the muscle and will to use it and burning a few sheep on the main roads will have no effect on them.

[aelfheld]

'Immoral imperative' more like it

And of course regulation never, ever constrains anything.

Pull the other one, it's got bells on.

What they're after is a way to stifle criticism and exposure. Sarkozy, like his predecessors, is as corrupt as the day is long. Exposure of the details of his peccadilloes to the world is the last thing he wants & if that means he has to straightjacket the rest of the world, well, so be it.

[Anonymous Coward]

Familiar

'In a speech at the Vatican in October, Sarkozy declared: "Regulating the internet to correct the excesses and abuses that arise from the total absence of rules is a moral imperative!"'

I imagine someone may have made that speech in the Vatican before, only instead of "internet" they said "printing press."

[Secret geek]

Resisting regulation of the internet is also a moral imperative.

Nuff said I think.