According to the French government, Facebook's control over hate speech is limited

"The self-regulation of Facebook Inc. and other social networks is limited, unenforceable and lacks credibility"said the French government Friday in a report published a few hours before the meeting between the president Emmanuel Macron and Mark Zuckerberg in Paris.

The report, released Friday, is based on comments from government officials who incorporated Facebook in January and February. The government says a new regulation should be applied to major social networks and hold them accountable "protect the integrity of its members, protect users against the abuses of other members and third-party attempts to manipulate the platform"

"Social media companies need regulations such as banks, they are systemic players"said the Minister of Digital Affairs, Cedric O. "The biggest social networks should have internal regulation, controlled by an external regulator," he added.

Although these are just recommendations, the report comes at a delicate time as Zuckerberg will meet Macron as part of the initiative of the French president known as Tech for Good (technology for good), which began in 2018.

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This initiative includes a "call for Christchurch"with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern. The two leaders plan to co-chair a meeting of world leaders and leaders of technology companies on May 15 with the aim of curbing the promotion of violent extremism online.

After the attacks on the Christchurch Mosque, which killed 51 people, Facebook and Youtube They were convicted worldwide for failing to quickly eliminate a live video broadcast by the alleged attacker.

The report will serve as a basis for redefining the way in which France addresses hate speech, according to the office of the Minister of the Digital Economy. France plans to update its laws on hate speech this year as well as the role of its regulator. A bill has been introduced in Parliament and can be extended to regulatory requirements.

The government could try to regulate social media companies as early as this year, said Cedric O.'s office, adding that no decision had yet been made. The field of application of the independent regulator of radio and television, CSA, could be updated as soon as possible to regulate social media companies, said the minister.

JPA CP