Imagine not being able to call Facebook “Facebook” or Twitter “Twitter” anymore, instead you have to refer to them as just online social network. Well that’s what it’s going to be like for people who are working on the air in France. According to a report from The Daily Mail, the government will be banning the usage of such words on French TV or radio networks – unless the words are said in direct relation to a news story about the company. Other than that, the usage of such words over the air would cause people to find themselves in trouble with the law.
The aim behind the ban is the government not wanting to promote those social networks in order to give other social networks a chance. In 1992, a legal decree was enabled in the country stating that “commercial enterprises should not be promoted on news programmes.” While it’s fine and all to promote healthy competition by making sure nobody gets free promotion, but what if the people who were advertising their content only had Facebook/Twitter accounts? It doesn’t really make much sense to call them otherwise. And for lesser-known companies who are ambiguous about where to follow/find them, consumers might have trouble looking them up. What are your thoughts on the ban?