France's teen tech lobbyist

The US social-networking scene (not to mention the music file-sharing one) needs an Aziz Ridouan, 18. The New York Times quotes the economic director of one of France's largest consumer advocacy groups as saying Aziz "may still be in high school, but [he] has a more profound understanding of copyright law than most lawyers and members of Parliament." I'm sure, actually, that we have a lot of people like Aziz, but US adults - including lawmakers - need to listen to a lot more teens before we pass any laws. That's what the French Parliament is reportedly doing (or some members of it and the government) where legislation about P2P file-sharing is concerned. "Mr. Ridouan, who began lobbying with protests against America Online when he was 12, first came to the national media's attention in 2004 as the founder of the Audionautes — which roughly translates as 'the audio surfers.' The Audionautes is a nonprofit association that provides legal assistance to those accused of illegally downloading music, many of whom were taken to court by the Civil Society of Phonographic Producers, the French equivalent of the Recording Industry Association of America." Aziz is missing some school because of his lobbying, but "he has a note from the French interior minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, excusing him from class when he meets with government officials." Perhaps Britain has a similar need – at least its version of the RIAA said "the issue needs discussion" after the release of a study showing that 59% of Britons said they'd copied music from their own CDs (55% saying they thought it perfectly legal). The Register's headline, though: "Poll: 55% break copyright law."