Policy Observatory

France is considering appointing an official internet ombudsman to regulate complaints about online material in order to prevent excessive censorship and preserve free speech. A bill establishing a “content qualification assessment procedure” has been tabled in the French Senate and the initiative was debated last week at a high level meeting attended by senators and judges as well as policy officers from Google and Twitter. The aim is to provide a simple procedure that will support firms operating online who are uncertain of their legal liabilities and to prevent over-zealous removal or censorship of material merely because it is the subject of a complaint. It could be copied by other European jurisdictions.