French senators have passed a controversial section of a justice law that allows law enforcement to secretly activate microphones and cameras in suspicious devices. This decision also opens up the possibility of quick access to geolocation data to track individuals under investigation.

The government explains that this is a tool introduced under the Justice Act, known as the "Keeper of the Seals". It is designed to capture images and recordings of individuals believed to be associated with terrorism, organized crime, or crime. Defenders of civil liberties spare no words of criticism. They warn that this recipe could turn any device into a surveillance tool. The Observatory of Digital Freedoms describes this as "overkill."

La Quadrature du Net expresses concern about the potential scope of this provision. The group warns that it's not just phones and computers that are affected - even baby monitors and televisions can become data collection points for law enforcement.

There is outrage at the Paris Bar, the organization representing lawyers. The lawyers regret that the government did not take them into account during the drafting process. "This new ability to remotely activate any electronic device is a serious invasion of privacy that cannot be justified by law enforcement." They also raise the alarm about the lack of clarity in the protection of communication between lawyer and client, calling it "an unacceptable violation of professional secrecy and the right of defence".

The introduction of the regulations still requires the approval of the National Assembly. Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti reassures that there is no need to panic. It ensures that appropriate mechanisms are in place to prevent abuses. A key element is the need to obtain a judge's approval for any surveillance request under this provision. The technical manner in which such cases of surveillance would be carried out was not specified.

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