In the intricacies of high-level European diplomacy, there’s two things Paris and Berlin can agree on: Conan is better, and you’d better not be using Internet Explorer. A French government agency is now advising citizens of the French Republic not to use Internet Explorer because of security concerns. It’s 2010, and we’re still writing “IE isn’t secure!” stories. Amazing.

The French agency, Certa, has warned against using all versions of Internet Explorer, noting that, even if you activate the highest level of security in the latest version of IE, you’re still at risk from some of the Web’s nastier elements.

Both Certa and Germany’s Federal Office of Information Security didn’t say what other browsers to use in lieu of IE, but you can safely assume they mean the usual suspects: Firefox, Chrome, and Opera. (See, Opera fans, we mentioned your favorite browser!)

But for all the security precautions you could take, the best safeguard against contracting an Internet disease is common sense. Don’t download shady files from 0daycoolwarez.tk, don’t click ads that say “HOT GURLZ IN [TOWN NEARBY] 4 U~!”

Seriously, common sense is worth its weight in gold, which clocked in at $1,647 per ounce yesterday.