With just over an hour and a half, they are six to pass this great oral science po dedicated to digital. The debate was organized by MediaLab (the interdisciplinary laboratory that questions the relationship between digital technology and our societies) and the McCourt Institute (a US research institute created by entrepreneur Frank McCourt). Digital technology occupies an increasingly important place in the daily lives of French and European citizens. and to use the terms of the invitation issued by Science Po, “There is a growing expectation for politicians to act in favor of greater transparency and a better respect for privacy in this digital space”, As the presidential election draws closer, candidates’ digital advisors have been invited to participate in the debate. In attendance were: Eric Bothorel, MP for Ctes-d’Armor and member of the LREM majority; Socialist Senator of the Somme Remy Cardon, Digital Advisor to Anne Hidalgo; Nelly Garnier, elected Les République of Paris and digital advisor to Valerie Pecres; Samuel Lafont, Eric Zemour’s digital advisor; Sylvain Raifoud, elected representative of Paris EELV, digital advisor to Yannick Jadot and Jill-maud Royer, digital advisor to Jean-Luc Mélenchon. The national rally has failed. All were able to share the views of their candidates and discuss their proposals for digital policy and internet governance. It is Dominic Kardon, Director of MediaLab, who is at the core of the initiative:

I think we need to politicize digital more. We are at a stage where we have to choose between different options, which are important. And they are at the center of the debate that we have here this evening. There is a central issue: what do we want as models of innovation and progress? Should we almost inevitably move to Web 3.0, Web 4.0? Or should we choose another direction? Some advocate digital restraint, for example, and it would be an entirely different trajectory, another way of imagining and regulating the Internet. Digital can be a formidable theme of an election campaign. But we think that’s not really the case.

However, digital technology remains a major theme in the eyes of Valerie Pecres advisor Nelly Garnier:

Those who think that it is a sub-discipline of economics, which deals only with urban dwellers, are wrong. At least symbolically, part of the population is excluded. In my opinion, digital deserves a full-fledged ministry, which will not be dependent on the Ministry of Economy. A ministry which in contrast would be central and which would come to irrigate all public policies.

Socialist Senator Remy Kardon shares more or less the same observation: “I agree that digital governance has not been considered by the current government. Cedric O. (Editor’s note: Secretary of State in charge of digital transition and electronic communications) This speaks for itself: he lacks the means and colleagues to work on these subjects. It is clear that the state machinery is not well prepared for this digital transition. For all these reasons, we need a real digital ministry.”

On stage, deputy Eric Bothorel is a representative of this “startup nation,” whose model was defended by Emmanuel Macron during his 2017 presidential campaign: “I believe in this start-up nation aspect. Digital means a million direct or indirect jobs. Sovereignty also goes through this. Ability to have excellent training courses and also opportunities for each other.”

France’s Digital Sovereignty

Obviously, the question of French (or European) digital sovereignty occupies a central place in these debates, in the face of the dominance of GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft). The idea has been defended by several representatives of the candidates, and in particular by Eric Zemour’s digital advisor, Samuel Lafont:

What do we want for France in 2030, 2040, 2050? Do we want a powerful or powerless France? Do we want to be a part of Web 3.0? Or conversely, do we want France to pick up the United States or China? This is a real question, a real challenge. If we have the will, we can make our country a champion, a great numerical power. But we have to do it now. Because tomorrow will be too late.

Same Samuel Lafont who swears that his candidate will fight against the digital divide: “Here in Paris, we have a good relationship. But every Frenchman in the field deserves it too. Includes rural areas. Because the French in the countryside are no less creative than in the big cities.”

Internet, a constitutional right

Jill-Maud Royer, digital advisor to La France Insomis candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon, advocates the inclusion of the right of Internet access for all in the constitution:

This means, for example, putting a certain number of telecommunications infrastructure back under public control. It also means installing packages with operators that are accessible to everyone, with guaranteed very high speeds. There are common goods (energy, water) that should be free. The Internet is considered in this category.

LFI Advisor is also in favor of free software development. It advocates the creation of a French cloud hosted by servers under French law. It will be available to companies that want it, and is mandatory for public services as well as many strategic sectors.

In Europe Ecology – Les Verts, we finally recall that in 2019, digital technology was at the origin of 3.5% of greenhouse gas emissions. “A Continuing Trajectory” Says Sylvain Raifoud, advisor to Yanik Jadot, who campaigns for clean and eco-friendly digital technology. And also for open code:

Let me remind you that the government had to be condemned for opening the Parcours Sup Code, and so that we can finally understand how our children were directed to university. Open code is a right. We should be able to know what sauce we are eating when an important decision that concerns us is made by an algorithm.

At the end of the debate, the public, made up of about a hundred people, is invited to say what the priority should be for the next five-year period: Answer “Creating the Conditions for European Digital Sovereignty” Came out on top.

The full discussion can be found here.