Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Claim
France has suspended internet services, following the wave of protests that have rocked the country after the police killing of a 17-year-old.
Fact
No such press release issued by the government.
A circular, purportedly issued by the government of France, “suspending internet services” in the country in the wake of the unrest following the police killing of a teenager, has gone viral on social media. Several verified accounts have shared this circular, and media outlets, too, have reported about this “internet ban”, including Scroll.
The archived version of the tweet can be seen here.
Also Read: Wild Animals On Paris Streets? Old Videos Falsely Linked To Ongoing Riots In France
What Does The Viral ‘Press Release’ Say?
The viral press release, supposedly issued by the Minister of The Interior And Overseas and undersigned by Directorate General of the National Police on July 2, 2023, when translated from French, read:
“The Ministry of the Interior would like to inform the population of the exceptional measures put in place to ensure public security and tranquillity in the context of the recent riots. As part of our commitment to maintain order and stability in the affected areas, additional measures have been decided to prevent any form of violence and disturbance.
From July 3 and for a fixed period, temporary restrictions will be applied to Internet access in certain specific neighbourhoods during night hours. These restrictions aim to prevent the misuse of social media and online platforms to coordinate illegal actions and incite violence.
It is important to note that these restrictions are not put in place to restrict the fundamental freedoms of citizens, but rather in order to preserve their safety as well as that of their property. In addition, the measures will not affect essential services, such as hospitals, emergency services and critical infrastructure.
In addition, we would like to reassure the population that the telephone services, which make it possible to reach loved ones or contact medical teams if necessary, will operate normally. Mobile and landline operators will continue to operate their services without interruption, to ensure the availability of essential communications at all times.”
Fact Check
Newschecker first ran a keyword search for “France internet ban”, which did not throw up many credible news reports on such a ban, even a day after it was apparently issued. This raised our doubts, considering the crisis is being reported by major media outlets across the globe. We reached out to Noopur Tiwari, a Paris-based journalist and founder of Smashboard, who confirmed to Newschecker that her internet is working in the French capital.
Taking a cue from this, a relevant keyword search led us to this tweet by the official account of the Ministry of the Interior and Overseas, dated July 2, 2023, which stated that a press release from @PoliceNationale, announcing temporary restrictions on internet access in certain districts, was false and that no such decision has been made in this regard.
We looked up the ministry’s official website, where we did not find any press releases or circulars, announcing the shutting of internet services. The National Police’s website and official Twitter account, too, had no notifications on cutting off internet services in the country.
The official Twitter account of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs tweeted out a clarification on July 3, 2022, regarding the viral circular, dismissing it as fake news.
The France Unrest
Violent unrest erupted in Nanterre, France, following the shooting of a 17-year-old driver, reportedly of Algerian descent, by a police officer during a routine traffic check on Tuesday (June 27) morning — an incident that was caught on video. Nearly 800 people have been arrested across France after a sixth night of rioting, which has seen demonstrations in Marseille, Lyon, Grenoble and some parts of Paris.
According to the Associated Press, social media companies have come under scrutiny in France as the country’s president blamed TikTok, Snapchat and other platforms for helping fuel widespread riots. “French President Emmanuel Macron…said the French government would work with social media sites to take down ‘the most sensitive content’ and identify users who ‘call for disorder or exacerbate the violence’,” read the report, adding that Macron did not specify what type of content he viewed as “sensitive,” but he said he expected “a spirit of responsibility” from the social media platforms.
Also Read: France Riots: Viral Video Of Airstrikes In Paris Is CGI
Conclusion
The France government has not imposed a shutdown of internet services in the country, dismissing the viral circular as fake.
Result: False
Sources
Tweet, Ministry of the Interior and Overseas, July 2, 2023
Tweet, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, July 3, 2023
Conversation with Noopur Tiwari, independent journalist based out of Paris
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Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
