Sherpa Times - What World Strategies Ltd.

AFP is reporting that the French government will invite the heads of Google, Twitter, Baidu, and Mark Zukerberg of Facebook to Paris in May to discuss proposals on the future of the internet in a special 'G8 du Web' summit. The group will then decamp to Deauville to present their proposals to the G8 leaders.

According to the report, the French government is looking for an agreement in principle from the other G8 countries before proceeding definitely with the Web Summit. If the US does not agree, it is unlikely that the meeting will attract the senior representation orginally planned.
 
President Sarkozy put the internet on the G8 agenda to discuss cyber-crime, data protection and other issues. It is part of the President's campaign to regulate but not restrain the internet. In a speech to the Vatican in October 2010, President Sarkozy stated "Regulating the Internet to correct the excesses and abuses arising from a total absence of rules, is a moral imperative". French NGOs that work on freedom of the internet are concerned that the French will use the G8 to impose restrictions on the internet.