After sharing the online alert, the importance of the right to be forgotten

It’s 10:14 a.m. on Thursday and Sarah* receives a message from one of her friends. She asks him to share the kidnapping alert of an 8-year-old girl, kidnapped by her father. The night before, in Dunkirk (North), she disappeared and her mother was found dead. Sarah* complies and as agreed publishes the kidnapping alert on her Instagram story. After all it only takes a few seconds and it’s always a win.

Finally, two hours later, the Alert-abduction procedure triggered Wednesday evening is lifted but the child is still wanted. Is there yet another question in Sarah’s head *: If the wanted notice is lifted, should all sharing on social networks be deleted?

“An action that is not in the interest of the victim”

Strong is to contact that, this Thursday, the authorities and certain Net surfers did not seem of the same opinion on this question. On Twitter, for example, the shares continue even if the authorities have deleted the publication on their side. “They lifted the alert, but we are not going to stop sharing. Please share share! “, can we read on a tweet accompanied by the photo of the girl and a description. “We ask you to retweet as many tweets mentioning this kidnapping as possible to give this little one every chance of being found! Asks another around 4 p.m., four hours after the alert was lifted.

But quickly, the ministry of justice counter attack. Under numerous publications relaying the kidnapping alert, the institution’s Twitter account replies: “For the right to protection of the child and the right to be forgotten, please remove all publications”. On its website, the Ministry of Justice specifies that the action of sharing an abduction alert is “commendable”, but “in the long term, this action is not always in the interest of the victim”. “After the end of the alert, this data generally remains stored on websites or referenced in search engines,” the ministry points out.

In addition, the ministry explains that it is its duty to “control the images and the personal data which will be broadcast to the population”. “In particular, he must be able to put an end to the dissemination of these elements. After the end of the alert, the entities which continue to disseminate it assume sole editorial responsibility”, specifies the site of the Ministry of Justice.

Several relays requested

Since 2006, the year the “Abduction Alert” system was created, there have been a convention specifying its rules, particularly on digital. For example, it details the organizations requested by the judicial authority. Among them are press agencies, television channels, radio stations, victim and victim support associations, road network managers and transport companies.

“The alert ends three hours after the designated bodies have been informed of the triggering of the alert, even if the victim and the suspect have not been found”, specifies article 10.

Favor the publication of the authorities

On social networks, Internet users can absolutely share alerts in order to increase the chances of finding the missing child. Several details are available: the date and place of the kidnapping, the description of the car and the license plate number, a photograph of the victim, as well as that of the suspect. But once the alert has been lifted, this information can no longer appear online… always in compliance with the right to be forgotten. We must therefore be careful how we share these alerts.

Finally, the best practice would be to directly relay the publication of the authorities, or of a press agency. When the alert is lifted, the girl’s photograph and identity will disappear simultaneously. If it is a photo published directly from your account, then you will have to ensure the rapid post-alert deletion yourself.

*name has been changed


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