THE NATION that once chopped the head off a feckless king, and whose people gallantly resisted a fascist occupation, has just seen the liberté of its people betrayed by their own corrupt, corporate-owned politicians.
The French Assembly has voted to give the music and film industries the power to switch off the Internet access of anyone who they accuse of pirating copyrighted files. No evidence will be required nor will any court of law. ISPs will be notified directly by the music and film industries. Upon the third notice Internet users will be disconnected for a year but will still have to pay their ISP charges. […]
What is even more scary is that France has delegated that power to a private cartel rather than the civil authorities. […]
Socialist deputy Patrick Bloche, who voted against the bill, called it a « law of intimidation » that amounted to « a lose-lose situation for artists and for Internet users. » He intends to ask the Constitutional Council, France’s highest legal authority, to rule on the constitutionality of the law.
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/opinion/1137310/france-forgets-freedom