French President Nicolas Sarkozy has spoken out in favor of increased regulation of the internet, suggesting that more rules are vital for morality and to help cure the “imbalances and injustices” of humanity today.
Sarkozy, one of the pioneers of France’s “Three-strikes” law to revoke internet access of repeat copyright violators, made the statement in a speech last week addressing the Vatican.
“Regulating internet to correct the excesses and abuses that arise from the total absence of rules is a moral imperative,” he declared to the Holy See.
Gaining regulatory and financial control over the web seems to be high priority for Sarkozy. The president mentioned the goal right along with other ambitious tasks which he also referred to as “moral imperatives,” including reforming global governance, regulating finance, stabilizing commodity markets, conditioning freedom of trade, and fighting illegal immigration.
Earlier this year, the French government proposed a so-called “Google tax” which Sarkozy enthusiastically supported. The measure would require internet giants like Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo to declare their advertising revenues to allow the country to collect a share. The tax would generate an estimated $14.3 million USD per year, which the government says would go towards the country’s artists.
"These companies are taxed in the country where they are headquartered, although they tap a significant part of our advertising market," Sarkozy said in a speech last January.
The latest speech coincided with last week’s release of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) by 40 nations, including France. The agreement gives countries the authority to implement their own three-strikes internet laws and to require ISPs to hand over the personal information of suspected file-sharers.
The Internet grew more quickly than anyone had imagined it could, and it was only a matter of time before governments tried to take control and use it for financial gain. While there are plenty of illegal activities that occur online, I can’t help but envision that once the government steps in the web will end up a mere shell of what it has grown to be. Hopefully my fears are unwarranted.
