7 Jun 2011

French media tweet and poke ban

French TV and radio presenters have been banned from mentioning social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter on air. The country's broadcasting watchdog has ruled that doing so would break guidelines on advertising.

Stations can still talk about services without naming them, it said. The French government is seen by many internet watchers as overly keen to regulate in relation to new media and the web.

france2screen

In a ruling, published online, the Conseil Superieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA), said: "Referring viewers or listeners to the page of the social network without mentioning it has the character of information.

"Whereas the referral by naming the social network in question has the character of advertising, contrary to the provisions of Article 9 of the decree of 27 March 1992 forbidding covert advertising."

BBC News