Block on TikTok in Pacific Island territory of New Caledonia represents a dangerous new escalation of global censorship — what’s happening?
May 20, 2024
President Emmanuel Macron spent many years developing a reputation as a defender of France’s famed Enlightenment values, as embodied in the national slogan, “Liberté, égalité, fraternité.” In 2020, after an Islamic extremist killed a French teacher, Macron gave a moving eulogy about why affirming France’s commitment to freedom was especially important in the face of violence and terrorism. “We will continue this fight for freedom and reason,” he said.
Last Thursday, Macron switched sides in that fight. On May 16, 2024, the Macron government joined governments around the world in the rising war on freedom and reason. His government entirely blocked the TikTok social media platform from operating in France’s Pacific island territory of New Caledonia. No European Union nation has ever blocked an entire website and app before.
“It is frightening to see a government completely block a social media platform, possibly due to concerns about protests,” said Jeff Koseff, author of two books on Internet censorship and speech, including last year’s Liar In A Crowded Theater. “This is entirely inconsistent with free expression norms and what we would expect in a democracy.”
