Social Media’s Cyber Bill Comes Due

Censorship pressure is mounting around the world.

Photo by Prateek Katyal on Unsplash.

French President Emmanuel Macron sparked controversy in France this week with his proposal to restrict internet and social media access in response to the widespread riots and unrest.

“We need to think about how young people use social networks, in the family, at school, the interdictions there should be…and when things get out of hand we may have to regulate or cut them off,” President Macron said. “Above all, we shouldn’t do this in the heat of the moment and I’m pleased we didn’t have to. But I think it’s a real debate that we need to have in the cold light of day.”

The unrest and rioting in France, which subsequently spread to other nations, are likely to result in increased pressure on social media companies to moderate content and limit access. Similar pressures have been observed in recent years, as various countries, motivated by concerns over national security, political control, and cultural sensitivities, have urged American social media platforms to censor and moderate content.

The European Union (EU) has actively pursued regulations to address concerns such as hate speech, disinformation, and terrorist content on social media platforms. Notably, the Copyright Directive was adopted in 2019, necessitating measures to prevent the unauthorized…