Stefan Mileschin

French police can turn on your phone and watch what you are doing

France has just passed a new bill that will allow police to remotely access suspects' cameras, microphones, and GPS on mobile phones and other devices.

According to Le Monde, the bill has been criticised by the French people as a "snoopers" charter that allows police unfettered access to the location of its citizens. Coppers can activate cameras and microphones to take video and audio recordings of suspects.

The bill will reportedly only apply to suspects in crimes that are punishable by a minimum of five years in jail and Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti claimed that the new provision would only affect a few dozen cases per year.

During a debate over the bill yesterday, French politicians added an amendment that orders judge approval for any surveillance conducted under the scope of the bill and limits the duration of surveillance to six months.

French advocacy group La Quadrature du Net said in a statement on Twitter that for organised crime, the police can have access to the sound and image of a device.

https://fudzilla.com/news/57214-fren...der-on-privacy