Cosmo Lush

Chirac’s internet search — for a French answer to Google

Is France wise to spend public money trying to compete with global internet giants — and to pass laws trying to restrict them?

issue 19 August 2006

France’s crusade against Anglo-Saxon incursions into its culture has entered cyberspace. To the list of alien influences the French establishment is determined to resist — ranging from words such as ‘weekend’ and ‘cheeseburger’ to radio broadcasts of British pop songs and hostile cross-border takeover bids — have been added two American giants of the internet: Google and Apple.

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