France has passed a new law to safeguard children in the digital realm. Under this law, social media platforms like TikTok must verify the age and obtain parental consent for users under the age of 15. The aim of this legislation is to reduce screen time for children, combat cyberbullying, and tackle other online abuses.
The law has been approved in the Senate; however, the specific date of implementation is yet to be determined. The European Commission will conduct an audit to ensure compliance with EU standards. Once the sites are deemed compliant, they will have one year to adapt the rules for new subscribers and an additional two years to establish control over existing accounts.
The key concerns of lawmakers that prompted this legislation include pornography, cyberbullying, the promotion of idealized beauty standards, and the dangerous dependence of teenagers on social media platforms.
A report from the Commission on Technology and Freedom (CNIL) reveals that despite the theoretical age restriction on social network access for those under 13, some children as young as 8 are registered on these platforms. Additionally, over half of children aged 10-14 actively use Snapchat and Instagram*.
The new law not only strengthens age verification measures for users, but also equips parents with tools to manage their children’s accounts. Social networks that violate these provisions may face fines amounting to 1% of their global income.
This new legislation follows a series of bills aimed at protecting children in the digital world, including addressing the misuse of their images on social networks. Furthermore, a law concerning the regulation of access to pornographic sites and mandatory user age verification is also expected to be considered.
*Meta and its products, namely Instagram and Facebook, have been deemed extremist and are banned in the Russian Federation.