The French government has passed a ‘justice reform bill’ that allows police to spy on citizens by activating phone cameras, microphones, and GPS. The bill also covers geolocation of crime suspects through other devices such as laptops, cars, and connected devices. A judge must approve the use of these powers, and the bill forbids their use against journalists, lawyers, and other “sensitive professions.” The total duration of surveillance cannot exceed six months.
However, the bill has met with protests and is being compared to George Orwell’s novel 1984 on surveillance. French digital rights advocacy group La Quadrature du Net has raised concerns over infringements of fundamental liberties. They argue that the bill violates the “right to security, right to a private life and to private correspondence” and “the right to come and go freely.
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