French curfews and bans on social media

French legislators are calling for a ban of social media platforms for kids under 15, and a “digital curb” for kids aged 15-18. They claim that TikTok and other similar apps have a “toxic” or “addictive impact”. 

After six months of research into the psychological impact of social media on young people, a parliamentary panel described TikTok’s content as “slow-poison” and a “unhappiness machine” that exposes users to harmful videos, such those promoting racism, violence, sexism and suicide.

In its 300-page report submitted to France’s National Assembly on Tuesday, the committee recommends that social media be banned for children under 15 and that older teens are subject to a digital curfew between 10pm and 8am to reduce scrolling at night. The report also suggests banning mobiles in schools, and creating a “digital neglect” offense for parents who do not monitor their children’s activity online. The goal of these measures is for young people to be protected from harmful videos that may exacerbate mental issues or encourage self-harm.

French MP pushes for ban & accuses TikTok of “knowingly” endangering kids

Arthur DelaporteThe socialist member of parliament who led the inquiry accused TikTok “knowingly” of endangering youth through addictive and dangerous content. She referred all allegations about the platform causing harm to users to the Paris prosecutor. Laure Miller of President Macron’s centre-right party was the committee’s reporteur. She criticized TikTok’s failure to limit harmful content despite claiming that it put teen safety as a priority.

TikTok labelled the findings of the committee as “misleading” and said that it had already implemented safety measures, including a screen-time limit of 60 minutes for those under 18 years old. It also advised users under 16 to stop using the application after 10pm. The platform, used by 20 million users in France, claims it has excellent security features that protect young users.

French proposal bans social media entirely for those under 15s

The proposals come after President Macron pledged in June to restrict social media to under-15s, to tackle teenage violence. He was motivated by incidents such as a stabbing at a high school. France’s efforts are in line with European efforts. Denmark, Spain and other countries have also looked at setting age limits for using social media. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, will monitor Australia’s new ban on children under 16 years old, which is due to come into effect in December before making a decision on a EU-wide policy. Nineteen people in Nepal were killed in riots that followed the blanket ban of social media in Nepal.

How will France enforce its social media bans?

The enforcement of the law is another matter. According to the French report, social media companies should be held responsible for age verification, similar to Australia’s model that threatens parents with steep fines if they do not comply. Critics are concerned about how such restrictions will be implemented, in particular the proposed “digital negligence” offense for parents.

The National Assembly, which is examining the digital regulation in general, including the content monetisation of platforms like Kick where the recent death by livestreaming of French influencer Jean Pormanove, is taking place as French politicians debate new measures. The proposals may have a profound impact on how young people use social media in France and possibly across Europe.