Whenever young people erupt in civil unrest, as in these past two weeks in France, Western societies reflexively look to blame sources of angry anti-establishmentarianism. Just like clockwork, there will always be some Ozzie Osborne to finger. This morning, David Brooks (now hidden behind the New York Times pay wall) even dredged up from the grave Tupac Shakur and held him up as the cause of the French riots.
And so it was almost predictable that the French authorities would eventually turn on that newest variety of insurrectionist artiste — the blogger. It’s only logical that, as a place of unbridled freedom where anyone can say or be whatever she chooses, the blogosphere provokes fear, and even retaliation, from those trying to maintain order.
As both the New York Times and Washington Post report today in nearly identical articles, three French bloggers were arrested this week and several blogs, all hosted by the Web site of popular radio station Skyrock, were shut down for apparently provoking further violence.
A 14-year-old from Aix-en-Provence, who was questioned and then released, posted an item urging rioters to attack police stations. Another blog entry, according to Agence France-Presse, implored, “Go to the nearest police station and burn it.” Other suspicious posts named specific places where rioters should assemble. The Post led with one of these examples, a planned meeting underneath the Eiffel Tower: “All the housing projects should rise. The wait is over. Friday, Nov. 11, a meeting under the Eiffel Tower. At 2 p.m. Show up, it’s important.”
In the Post piece, the president of Skyrock said he had filtering software and a team of 30 monitors to help ensure that violent notices were not posted. But the site generates 20,000 comments a day, so trying to filter all of them is a bit like spitting into the wind.
Our first thought is that bloggers make conveniently easy targets for frustrated law enforcement officials. When it gets too difficult or complicated to catch those who are actually burning cars or beating up on people, might as well arrest a 14-year-old kid sitting in front of his computer in his basement.
We have no doubt that incitement to violence can be dangerous, on blogs or anywhere else, but the blogoshpere is a giant ocean. If the French police think that snagging a few baby barracuda will solve anything, then they really don’t understand the nature of the sea in which they’re swimming. (See: China.)
Then, of course, there’s the question of censorship. Who decides what constitutes incitement to violence? Any expression of anti-government sentiment could be construed as pointing to bloody revolution — especially in France. Why not just shut down all blogs?
We say, let the bloggers blog, even if what they are saying is vile. We have a sneaking hunch that it’s better for them to vent their anger on the computer than in the streets.
Gal Beckerman is a former staff writer at CJR and a writer and editor for the New York Times Book Review.