France Passes A Bill Allowing Police to Spy on Suspects Remotely
"A bill that would allow police in France to spy on suspects by remotely activating cameras, microphone including GPS of their phones has been passed. "
- "The bill allows the geolocation of crime suspects, covering other devices like laptops, cars and connected devices, just as it could be remotely activated to record sound and images of people suspected of terror offences, as well as delinquency and organised crime."
- "The bill will reportedly apply to suspects in crimes that are punishable by a minimum of five years in jail."
- "The provisions “raise serious concerns over infringements of fundamental liberties,” stated a French advocacy group promoting digital rights and freedoms, La Quadrature du Net."
“In view of the growing place of digital tools in our lives, accepting the very principle that they are transformed into police auxiliaries without our being aware of it poses a serious problem in our societies,” the group said.
- "Lawmakers agreed to the bill late Wednesday as Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti insisted the bill would affect only “dozens of cases a year.”
- "During the debate on Wednesday, the members of parliament in the camp of President Emmanuel Macron inserted an amendment limiting the use of remote spying to “when justified by the nature and seriousness of the crime” and “for a strictly proportional duration.” They noted that a judge must approve any use of the provision, while the total duration of the surveillance cannot exceed six months."
