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The Electronic Bastille

Posted by timothy on from the panoptiquonnes dept.

smooth wombat writes "Imagine a database whose aim is to centralize and analyze data on people aged 13 or above who are active in politics or labor unions, who play a significant institutional, economic, social or religious role, or who are 'likely to breach public order.' At first glance one might think the country in question is Russia or Zimbabwe but the truth is, it's a democratic nation which is implementing this database. Specifically, France. Now, with the summer break over and as the people of France return to work, there is a small but growing movement to storm this electronic Bastille. Michel Pezet, a lawyer and former member of a body charged with protecting French citizens from electronic prying, had this to say about this new data-gathering law: 'The Edvige database has no place in a democracy. There is nothing in the decree that sets limits or a framework. Whether the database is used with or without moderation depends only on orders from up high. The electronic Bastille is upon us.'"

8 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Probably not a first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'd be shocked if other Western governments, or at least their security services, didn't do something similar.

    Yeah but only in France are the DBA's going to the guillotine.

  2. Re:Sorry... by johndmartiniii · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, they wouldn't necessarily get out of their chairs in protest, but they might raise a glass from a seated position in a sidewalk cafe in protest.

    --
    If you don't know what you're doing, you can't make mistakes.
  3. Anglo-French rivalry at its best by rpjs · · Score: 4, Funny

    For years now the UK has been leader in the "Western Nation Most Likely To Become A Police State" league, and the French just can't bear to be beaten by us at anything, so in one daring move they've grabbed the crown from us. Vive la France!

  4. mission creep by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dear World,

    Please stop giving our government these ideas.

    Thanks,

    USA

  5. Thank God by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I live in the UK where we don't stand for this kind of nonsense.

  6. Re:Sorry... by aproposofwhat · · Score: 4, Funny

    Nos trois principes sont Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite.

    Je m'excuse, nos quatre principes sont Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, et d'etre surveille.

    Entre nos principes sont...

    --
    One swallow does not a fellatrix make
  7. Re:Probably not a first by Yetihehe · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeah but only in France are the DBA's going to the guillotine.

    Like "TRUNCATE `admin`;" perhaps?

    --
    Extreme Programming - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Developers
  8. Re:Sorry... by Uniquitous · · Score: 3, Funny

    But I am le tired...