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 stated.
However, the measures have not impressed 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 limit teenagers' exposure to a spiral of harmful content.
The recommendations of the French parliamentary inquiry come hard on the heels of an Australian social media ban for children under the age of 16 set to come into effect on December 10. Age-restricted social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube will face steep fines if they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from holding accounts.
The French inquiry was initiated after families accused TikTok of exposing their children to content that might lead to suicidal behaviors. It heard emotional testimony from children and parents.
One mother shared her devastating account of her daughter being influenced by songs glorifying death, which she believed led to her child's tragic decision to take her life. Another parent raised similar concerns about the nature of the videos her daughter encountered on the platform.
Among the 43 recommendations made to safeguard children are:
- a ban on social media access for children under 15
- enforcing a nightly curfew on app usage from 10 PM to 8 AM
- prohibiting mobile phones in schools
- establishing legal liabilities for parents who fail to regulate their children's online activity
Lead inquiry author Laure Miller emphasized that parental accountability for children's digital safety is critical, especially when minors are allowed excessive screen time.
France is not alone in this initiative; several EU nations like Denmark and Spain are also exploring social media restrictions for children. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is monitoring the situation closely and will propose a strategy for Europe by the end of 2025.
In response to the French inquiry's findings, TikTok pointed out its measures, including a screen time limit for under-18s and reminders for teenagers to shut off the app at night.
The inquiry's chairman, Arthur Delaporte, stated that he will refer severe allegations of TikTok's negligence regarding user safety to the public prosecutor. He has also been asked to investigate a recent tragic incident involving a French influencer.
