French President Emmanuel Macron is considering the removal of French people’s access to social media platforms, including TikTok and Snapchat, in an effort to pacify out-of-control riots through suppressing the free flow of information.
Macron, who has already blamed social media and video games for intensifying the ongoing French riots, told a gathering of 250 mayors from across the country: “We need to think about the use of these networks by the youth … and about the bans that need to be put in place. And I say this very clearly, because they change the way young people relate to reality.”
“And [we need to think about] the decisions we make, including administrative decisions, when things get out of hand, so that at some point we can say we’re in a position to regulate or cut them off,” the French President added.
The announcement was met with outrage from across the political spectrum, with his own party members irate over the matter. Eric Bothorel, a member of Macron’s Renaissance party, tweeted: “This would mean abandoning the idea that democracy is stronger than the tools used against it. That would be a mistake.”
The riots in France began after Nahel M, a 17-year-old with a migrant background, was shot by the police in the Paris suburb of Nanterre last Tuesday. A fundraiser for the policeman raised $1.75M dollars before being shut down.
