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12/20/13

France expands Internet, phone monitoring powers

France expanded the government's powers to monitor phone and Internet connection data without judicial review as a last-minute opposition attempt to block the move failed to gather support.

The French Official Journal on Thursday published a military budget law that grants monitoring powers to more agencies such as tax and finance authorities, broadens the grounds for surveillance, and strips judges of the power to review monitoring requests.

The proposed law had come under fire from Google Inc and Microsoft Corp, telecom operators such as Orange and Internet advocacy groups, who argue that it is too broad and violates people's privacy.

Parliament members of the Green Party had tried to make an alliance with the left-wing Front de Gauche and a dissident group within the conservative UMP party to force a review by the top constitutional watchdog, but failed to get the backing of 60 senators or 60 deputies to initiate the procedure.


Read more: France expands Internet, phone monitoring powers | Reuters

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