In brief
A recent report from a French parliamentary commission calls for an outright ban on social media for children under 15 and a nightly curfew for those aged 15 to 18. The recommendations stem from a six-month inquiry into the psychological impacts of TikTok, which the commission claims exposes minors to harmful content. TikTok rebuffs the accusations, emphasizing its safety measures. This move follows similar actions in other countries aiming to protect children online.
French children under 15 should be banned from social media and there should be an overnight 'digital curfew' for 15-18 year olds, a parliamentary commission has recommended.
The six-month inquiry into the psychological effects of TikTok on minors has found that the short video-sharing platform 'knowingly exposes our children, our young people to toxic, dangerous and addictive content'.
We must force TikTok to rethink its model, says the commission, which heard testimony from teenagers and the families of young victims.
TikTok responded saying it categorically rejected the commission's 'misleading characterisation of our platform' which sought to 'scapegoat our company on industry-wide and societal challenges'.
'TikTok has an ongoing robust trust and safety programme with more than 70 features and settings designed specifically to support the safety and well-being of teens and families on our platform,' a spokesperson said in a statement.
The company's measures have however failed to impress the French cross-party commission of inquiry, which describes TikTok as one of the worst social media platforms - 'a production line of distress' for young people. It argues TikTok has failed to take sufficient action to reduce teenagers' exposure to 'a spiral of harmful content'.
The recommendations of the French parliamentary inquiry follow an Australian social media ban for children under the age of 16, set to take effect on December 10. Age-restricted social media platforms will face steep fines if they do not implement measures to prevent under-16s from creating accounts.
The inquiry was initiated after families accused TikTok of exposing their children to content that could lead to suicide. It took testimony from affected youths and parents.
In light of alarming personal accounts, including that of a mother whose daughter died by suicide after being exposed to harmful content, the commission outlined 43 recommendations aimed at protecting minors. These include:
- A ban on social media for under-15s
- A prohibition on app usage overnight from 22:00 to 08:00
- A ban on mobile phones in schools
- Legal consequences for parents failing to protect their children from harmful online content
Lead inquiry author Laure Miller explained that this concept of digital negligence for parents extends existing legal frameworks. 'If a six-year-old child spends seven hours a day in front of TikTok, we can ask ourselves the question: 'are their safety and morality really protected by their parents?'
France joins several EU countries, including Denmark and Spain, in contemplating restrictions on children's social media usage. The European Commission President is monitoring these developments, with plans to review the broader implications for Europe by the end of 2025.
