The French National Assembly adopted a third article of a bill that allows police and gendarmerie to secretly take video and audio recordings from the phones of suspects in terrorism and organised crime cases.

Lawmakers are discussing the bill known as the Law of Justice, which gives broad powers to law enforcement.

Article 3 of the bill was accepted which allows police and gendarmerie to receive audio and video recordings and location information from digital devices of suspects.

The article, which is still under discussion, does not cover parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, doctors and journalists.

Activists criticise the bill on grounds it could be used against them.

Some politicians also consider the bill an intervention into private life.

Throttling social media

French President Emmanuel Macron is already facing criticism from opposition figures for his remarks on blocking social media to prevent violent protests in times of crisis.

In the backdrop of protests against the police killing of a 17-year-old Algerian-origin teenager, Macron on Tuesday said blocking social media might be needed, during a meeting with mayors of towns in Paris.

This remark reported by the French broadcaster BFMTV was later explained by the president's entourage, who said that Macron did not mean an entire black-out, but a temporary and punctual suspension of the social media platforms.

Macron's remarks, however, sparked outrage among the opposition parties, who likened his approach to those of stricter regimes, such as China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia.