'Draconian' French Charteur des Snoopeurs gets senate approval

Yesterday (June 9), the Projet de Loi Relatif au Renseignement – the bill described as France's own Patriot Act – was passed by the country's upper chamber. The fast-tracked law will give French intelligence services lots of new snooping superpowers, with little or no judicial oversight. Civil liberties organisations have …

[Anonymous Coward]

Only a newly dreamed-up executive oversight board would be able to prevent specific cases of spying - and even then a majority of the nine-strong board would have to object.

Actually, this "oversight board" has no power at all: it can only emit opinions, it has no way to enforce them. It has been included in the law merely for decorum (and also quite probably in order to be able to give a sinecure to a few more friends).

Even worse, in cases of "emergency" (which are nowhere defined in the law) the spooks have complete free rein: they can bypass both the board and the PM office. Sure, the PM office has to validate the case within a few days, but then it's already too late, the spying already took place, the data is collected and safely stored.

Funny side note: today the French culture ministry tweeted about the 66th birthday of Orwell's 1984 first publication, then deleted the tweet a few moments later. Perhaps they feared it would remind the citizens that this law is nothing more than Big Brother watching them?

Anonymous, just because I still can.

[Anonymous Coward]

How very depressing to see the French Garçons en bleu are joining everyone else in spying on their citizens. As an aside, I just stumbled across that Sky news article on their discovery of Stingray boxes being discovered in use around London - you should read some of the comments. They're all variations of "Nothing to hide, nothing to fear". Well, they do say you get the government you deserve. And if things go on as they are, I'm sure these plonkers will definitely get the government they so very well deservre.

I think it's getting to stage where its a sure bet to assume your phone is being monitored, recorded, stamped and filed big brother style for future investigations. All in the best interests and preventing you from being terrorist'd.

[CAPS LOCK]

Merde...

Les Français, ils ont un contrôle judiciaire? Qui savait?

[Anonymous Coward]

Pissing on the graves of the cartoonists.

(ceci n'est pas une biere)

[adnim]

They is...

only playing catch up.

As much as I hate to be a defeatist. The monitoring, storing and mining of communication data will be uppermost in the minds of ALL those that govern nations (it's all about being in control). And they will do it regardless. Laws will/are being changed and new laws are drafted to compensate for any breaches of established law.

No matter how much the law abiding disagree, those that govern nations have drawn up laws which ensure that those whom do disagree and are in opposition, appear to be the very thing the laws were drawn up to protect "us" against. Kinda scary... If I speak up and criticise am I an insurgent or a terrorist?

Nothing to fear, nothing to hide?

I will have nothing to fear and nothing to hide when the rest of the people on this plant are as tolerant as I am.

[Anonymous Coward]

France is a police state anyway

Once you come into the clutches of the forces of law you have very few rights.

Try making a complaint against the police there and see what happens to you.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: France is a police state anyway

On the other hand they don't seem to shoot quite so many people as American police so at least you're alive to complain......

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: France is a police state anyway

Mais une bavure est vite arrivée

[John 104]

Re: France is a police state anyway

Don't misbehave and you won't get shot by the police...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: France is a police state anyway

All of those who were shot misbehaved. Otherwise they wouldn't have been shot, would they?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: France is a police state anyway

In France, whatever a Policeman says in his statement is taken as fact by a judge.

If, for instance, you made the mistake of taking a policeman's ex-girlfriend out on a date and he took it into his head to "deal with you" by arresting you for something: Then his statement of events would be what the judge would take as having happening.

Remember there is no jury system.

Sleep tight.

[Anonymous Coward]

The terrorists have won, we're destroying our societies

[Destroy All Monsters]

Nope, society is destroying itself. It's the easy path, the one to the dark side.

Related: Power Thrives in Complexity

[Anonymous Coward]

We're fucked

We really are, for the decades to come.

I've done, myself, my bit, to explain to 3 stupid MPs and 2 equally stupid senators, why this law was a complete felony. But which one of those old c**ts understood a thing ?

That law will be the disaster french history will remind Hollande for, possibly a couple of years before the extreme right gains power.

I've, yesterday, lost all faith into the 2 parliament chambers ...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: We're fucked

You just need Sarko back. There will be no place to hide. Sadly, this being France, the public service won't even improve from its derelict current state as a side benefit.

[John 104]

Branding

You really should spell hoover Hoover. It is a brand name after all.

I'll get my coat...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Branding

Hoover the Body Remover.

[Mark 85]

Re: Branding

Hoover the Body Remover.

It would be if were a package consisting of a carpet roll, duct (gaffer's) tape, and quicklime. As it is, it's just "Evidence Remover" after the body is out of the building.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Branding

It could be a device fetchingly shaped to resemble the first Director of the FBI.

[Anonymous Coward]

So does this mean France is no longer a safe harbour for companies to store data from other EU countries ?