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This government project monitoring social networks has received the negative opinion of the National Commission for Informatics and Private Liberties. Pixabay CC0 LoboStudioHamburg

The French tax administration counts with the bill of finance for 2020, activate a system of automatic monitoring of social networks to fight against tax fraud.

The tax authorities have decided to scrutinize all taxpayer publications on their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other accounts. This monitoring also concerns their lucrative activities on online trading platforms such as LeBonCoin , Amazon, Ebay, or AirBnB , which offer individuals to supplement their ends of the month with online sales or rental housing. Article 57 of the finance bill for 2020, if adopted in the State, will give the opportunity to the tax authorities and customs to " collect and exploit " mass public data of Internet users. This automatic system will be tested " for a period of three years ".

Only " data made public by users of social networks and commercial platforms " will be scanned to identify fraudsters taxpayers. All without ever using facial recognition programs able to identify you in online photos, promise the services of the Ministry of Economy stating want to " detect the most serious fraudulent behavior ."

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So far, it is illegal in France or in Europe, for a state agency or a private company, to exploit the information from social networks without the consent of users. Hence the idea of ​​introducing a legislative amendment in the text of the 2020 Finance Act in order to do without their authorization. This project is not new, as already mentioned in November 2018 the Minister of Action and Public Accounts, Gérald Darmanin, who said at the time: " we will soon be able to put social networks in great database ".

The Cnil is unfavorable

Now, it's almost done, as the Minister of Public Accounts explains: " If you were obviously taking a picture of yourself multiple times with a luxury car when you do not have the means to do it : Maybe whether it belongs to your cousin or your girlfriend or maybe not. It will be your personal accounts that will be watched because they are public. "

In order to strengthen the fight against the biggest tax frauds, we will experiment with the targeted collection of open access data from social networks and linking platforms, in a rigorous and controlled framework by Parliament and #CNIL. pic.twitter.com/cBI0LT2Gvk

Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) October 1, 2019

This government project monitoring social networks has received the negative opinion of the National Commission for Informatics and Private Liberties (CNIL). While recognizing that the fight against tax fraud is a laudable and legally based objective for the government, it issues Monday, October 2 serious reservations regarding this automated tracking system of fraudsters. She doubts " the efficiency as well as the technical feasibility of such a device ". The commission recommends, moreover, a " strict balance between the objective pursued and the respect of the rights and freedoms of the persons concerned ". She also fears the " Big Brother " effect of this device which will limit in the long term, according to her report, the freedom of opinion and expression of the Net surfers, when they will feel constantly watched at length of network.