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Google to pay $1.1 billion in France following tax probe
After a four-year investigation, Google has agreed to pay almost €1 billion ($1.10 billion) to French authorities because it did not fully declare its tax activities in the country, as reported by Reuters. The payment covers a €500 million fine and additional taxes of €465 million.
France says it will block Facebook's Libra cryptocurrency in Europe
Facebook's Libra cryptocurrency has run into another stumbling block. Less than a month after the EU opened up an antitrust investigation into the project, officials in France have announced that they "cannot authorize" Libra on European soil.
Paris is testing 'noise radar' that will automatically ticket loud cars
Parisians with powerful cars might want to think carefully before showing off their rides. Parts of the city (most recently the suburb of Villeneuve-le-Roi) are testing a "noise radar" system from Bruitparif that can pinpoint loud vehicles and, eventually, ticket them. The system uses four microphones to triangulate the origins of a sound and link it with CCTV footage to pinpoint whoever's making the racket.
The US and France reportedly reach a deal over 'digital services' tax
The Trump Administration and the French government have supposedly reached a deal that ends a feud over France's tax on tech giants, Bloomberg reports. Earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a three percent tax on revenues earned on digital services in France. President Trump threatened a tariff on French wine if the tax went through, sparking a standoff. Trump and Macron reportedly worked through some of their differences at a G7 summit, and today, Macron told reporters, "We have a deal to overcome the difficulties between us."
French inventor is first to cross English Channel using a hoverboard
It took a second try, but Franky Zapata has become the first to cross the English Channel using a hoverboard. The French inventor used his jet-powered Flyboard Air to travel the 22 miles from France to England in 22 minutes, briefly landing on a boat to replace his kerosene-filled backpack. The board wasn't slow, either -- Zapata said he reached speeds up to 106MPH during his journey.
Last month was the hottest June on record and no one is surprised
Last month earned the title of hottest June on record, and yes, you have heard that before. According to NASA, the global average temperature was 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit (0.93 Celsius) above the June norm. That tops the previous record, 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit (0.82 Celsius) above average, set in 2016.
France is creating a space command to defend its satellites
The US isn't the only country that wants to create a dedicated space force within its military. French President Emmanuel Macron has greenlit plans to create a space command within his country's air force next September. The division would bolster defense of France's satellites, he said. Officials had yet to determine the scale of the investment.
Facebook will share data on hate speech suspects with French courts (update)
Facebook is handing over identifying information to French courts on people suspected of using hate speech on its social network. "This is huge news, it means that the judicial process will be able to run normally," Cédric O, France's minister for the digital sector, told Reuters. "It's really very important, they're only doing it for France." Update 6/25/19 9PM ET: A Facebook spokesperson told us: "As a matter of course, we will no longer refer French law enforcement authorities to the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty process to request basic information in criminal hate speech cases. However, as we do with all court orders for information, even in the US, we will scrutinize every order we receive and push back if is overbroad, inconsistent with human rights, or legally defective."
Google takes control of bringing next-gen texting to Android
Google's rollout of RCS chat to Android devices has been slow, and you can blame that partly on the carriers. As the next-gen texting format usually depends on networks adding support one at a time, compatibility has been patchy at best. Now, though, Google is ready to take matters into its own hands -- the internet giant will offer RCS services to Android users in the UK and France later in June, giving them an opt-in choice through the platform's Messages app. The company's Drew Rowny explained it to The Verge as a sort of peer-to-peer end run around the carrier-driven model.
On May 20th, the kilogram will no longer be defined by a lump in France
On May 20th, World Metrology Day, the scientific community will officially change the definition of the kilogram. For 130 years, the kilo has been defined by a physical cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy, known as Le Grand K and stored in a vault outside of Paris. But every time scientists handled it, the cylinder lost atoms -- an estimated 50 micrograms over its lifetime. So, beginning Monday, the kilogram will officially be measured by a physical constant known as the Planck constant.
France launches government chat app after fixing last-minute flaw
France made good on its promise to launch a secure government-only chat app -- although it almost didn't turn out that way. The country has introduced a beta version of Tchap, a messaging app that helps officials communicate with each other through Android, iOS and the web with reportedly greater security than they'd have with off-the-shelf apps. All private conversations are encrypted end-to-end, antivirus software screens all attachments and all data is stored in France. You only need a French government email address to sign up, though, and that's where the security issue resided.
Why Garfield phones have littered French beaches for 35 years
There's no better symbol of plastic ocean pollution and '80s consumerism gone wild than the Garfield phones of Brittany. The handsets, in the form of the aggressively unfunny cat, have been washing up on French beaches for decades. However, the novelty has long since worn off for residents who have been picking them up since the '80s. Now, a local anti-litter group called Ar Vilantsou has finally found the source: a lost shipping container.
Robot valets are parking cars at an airport in France
After a few years of testing its robot valets, Stanley Robotics will officially put its fleet to use at France's Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport this week. If you plan to park in the robot-lot anytime soon, you'll leave your car in a special garage-like box. One of Stanley's robots will literally pick up your car and deliver it to a spot. When you return, the system will use your flight information to determine when to bring your car back to a box, where you can pick it up and drive off. As the company says, that should mean no waiting or searching the parking lot.
Netflix original ‘Osmosis’ is a dark take on AI date matching
If Netflix's new Dating Around reality series is a touch too maudlin for your taste, then you'll probably dig its upcoming French original Osmosis. The first trailer for the technophobic show, which premieres March 29th, just landed and it's a literal head trip. Set in a near future, it follows several young Parisians who sign up to a beta program for an experimental dating technology designed to pair up soul mates. Then things get dark.
Why can’t all set-top boxes be as stylish as the Freebox Delta?
It might seem strange to do a deep-dive of an internet and TV set-top box, let alone one that you can't have in the United States. But the Freebox Delta from French carrier Free, equipped with Devialet speakers, is so strange, stylish and interesting that it merits a much closer look. And it's always good to see if the grass is greener on the other side of the Atlantic, non? It's one of the first set-top/fiber boxes to deliver high-speed internet, media-player capability, high-end sound and 4K HDR video. It has Alexa, streaming services and even a free Netflix subscription, so it can handle most AV chores with no extra devices needed. On top of that, it's chic and, like many things French, a touch political. But the biggest question is, what can it do? Let's take a look.
Paris sues Airbnb over illegal rental ads
France is determined to prevent home sharing services from allowing makeshift hotels, and that now includes court action. The city of Paris is suing Airbnb over 1,000 ads it says violate a law designed to limit homeowners to renting their places for no more than 120 days per year. It's not clear just what terms the ads violated, but French law requires a registration number inside those ads to ensure they aren't venturing past the 120-day mark. The aim is to "send a shot across the bows" and end near-constant rentals that "spoil some Parisian neighborhoods," city mayor Anne Hidalgo told Le Journal du Dimanche in an interview.
Apple will pay its $571 million tax bill in France
Apple has agreed to pay 500 million euro ($571 million) in back taxes in France, according to French website L'Express. Like other European nations, including Germany and Italy, France has been trying to force tech companies, including Amazon, Google and Apple, to pay what it feels are their fair share of taxes.
France fines Google $57 million over data transparency
The European Union's GDPR is relatively young, but Google is already in hot water over claimed violations. France's CNIL regulator has fined Google €50 million (about $57 million) for allegedly failing to provide transparent, "easily accessible" data consent policies. Google reportedly made it hard to learn about and control how it used personal data, including for targeted ads. It can sometimes take "5 or 6 actions" before you know what Google is doing, CNIL said, and the company spread ad targeting information across "several documents."
Lancey will make smart radiators with recycled e-bike batteries
Batteries are the future of home energy consumption. But where do you put them? In the garage, or the side of your house? French startup Lancey has a more discrete solution: inside radiators. The team is already producing electric heaters that have a 600W or 1200W battery inside. If you have solar panels, or another form of energy generation, they can theoretically store the resulting power and conveniently heat your home when it's cold. Alternatively, the battery can serve as a distributed grid system for energy providers, drawing electricity at quieter, cheaper times and warming your house or apartment during the busier, pricier hours.
Twitter and Fox Sports are making a live show for the Women's World Cup
Following their partnership during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Twitter and Fox Sports are now teaming up on video content for another major FIFA sporting event. For the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, which is being played in France this summer, Twitter and Fox Sports are bringing back their live soccer (er, football) show from last year, though it'll now be called FIFA Women's World Cup Now. The premise is the same as the original program: It'll be live-streamed on Twitter, feature match previews, recaps, highlights, guest appearances and, naturally, the best tweets from users across the site.
