France Considers Ban on TikTok for Minors Amid Safety Concerns
PARIS — French lawmakers are pushing for stricter limits on social media use for children, including a possible ban on TikTok for users under 15, following months of hearings with families, influencers, and social media executives.
President Emmanuel Macron’s office has expressed support for restricting access for children and young teens, echoing Australia’s recent move to draft a law banning social media for users under 16.
Arthur Delaporte, head of the parliamentary committee examining TikTok, told AFP that he plans to file a criminal complaint against the short-video platform, alleging it has “endangered the lives” of young users.
The committee was formed in March to investigate the psychological effects of TikTok on minors, prompted by a 2024 lawsuit from seven families claiming the platform exposed children to content encouraging self-harm and suicide.
Laure Miller, the lead author of the committee’s report, said TikTok’s addictive design and algorithm have influenced other social media platforms. “The app is built to keep users hooked,” she said.
TikTok has repeatedly stated that protecting young users is its “top priority.” But Delaporte argued that the company is aware of the risks and has been “actively complicit in endangering” users.
The tragic story of Geraldine, whose 18-year-old daughter died by suicide last year, highlights these concerns. She discovered that her daughter had posted and viewed self-harm content on TikTok. “TikTok didn’t kill our little girl, because she wasn’t well in any case,” Geraldine said. Still, she criticized the platform for failing to moderate content and for deepening her daughter’s struggles.
During hearings, TikTok executives said their AI-driven moderation removed 98% of content violating French rules last year. However, lawmakers found these measures inadequate, noting that harmful content still spreads easily and the app’s algorithm keeps young users trapped in dangerous content loops.
Delaporte also suggested that TikTok executives may have misled the committee about the risks of the platform, citing internal files leaked to media in France and the U.S. “When they said they didn’t know, that’s lying under oath,” he said.
The committee’s report calls for tougher measures, including a “digital curfew” preventing users aged 15 to 18 from accessing social media between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. It also warns that if platforms fail to comply with European laws within three years, the ban could extend to all users under 18.
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