France bans words 'Twitter', 'Facebook' on TV, radio news programs

Jun 06, 2011 |

Paris

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The French government has said it will ban the use of the words 'Facebook'and 'Twitter' on television or radio programs.

President Nicolas Sarkozy's colleagues have agreed to uphold a 1992 decree, which stipulates that commercial enterprises should not be promoted on news programs, the Daily Mail reports.

Broadcasting anchors would be forbidden to refer to the popular social networking site and the microblogging phenomenon, unless it is relevant to a news item.

Christine Kelly, spokesperson for France’s regulator of broadcasting Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA), believes that the government is correct to uphold this law.

“Why give preference to Facebook, which is worth billions of dollars, when there are many other social networks that are struggling for recognition?” Kelly said.

“This would be a distortion of competition. If we allow Facebook and Twitter to be cited on air, it’s opening a Pandora’s Box, other social networks will complain to us saying, ‘why not us? ’ she added.

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