Rather than waiting around for Brussels to agree a European policing standard for the Internet, French officials are urging the continent to take the matter more seriously. The move is the latest in a line of high-profile Internet developments from the country whose major research institute, INRIA, took over development and promotion of the Web early in 1995 (CI No 2,612). At the end of last month, the French government proposed that countries sign a global convention setting out principles re lating to data privacy and protection of minors both for the Internet and privately held on-line services. French Telecommunications Minister Francois Fillon distributed a memorandum to his partners in the European Community stating that countries s hould develop a code of good conduct and a system for determining which country’s rules apply to the new services. The memorandum said that France would raise the issue at the next meeting of the Group of Seven which is to be held this month in Ly on. While the Internet has brought an extraordinary richness to the international community, the memorandum said, it also poses serious risks to public order that can be addressed at national level. However, the inherently transnational character of the Internet requires appropriate international co-operation to ensure the decentralization of servers does not void national regulations of all their content.
