France Mulls Social Media Ban for Under-15s, Night Curfew for Teenagers

A French parliamentary commission has recommended banning children under 15 from using social media and introducing a “digital curfew” for teenagers aged 15 to 18, restricting access between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.

The proposals, unveiled Thursday, follow months of hearings on the psychological toll of platforms like TikTok. Lawmaker Laure Miller, who served as rapporteur, said the ban would send a clear message: “Before 15, social media is not harmless.”

The commission was set up in March after seven families sued TikTok, accusing it of exposing their children to harmful content that could drive them to suicide. Lawmakers heard testimonies from grieving parents, influencers, and tech executives before drafting their report.

One mother, Geraldine, who lost her 18-year-old daughter Penelope to suicide, later discovered videos of self-harm on her TikTok account. “It’s difficult for us as parents to moderate all this,” she said.

TikTok insists youth safety is its top priority, claiming it removes 95% of inappropriate content within 24 hours, and most of it before it’s viewed.

Beyond the under-15 ban, the commission is pushing tougher measures:

• A digital curfew for 15- to 18-year-olds.

• The possibility of a full ban for under-18s if platforms fail to meet obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act within three years.

• A nationwide information campaign on online risks.

• A new “digital negligence” offence targeting parents who fail to protect their children online.

Miller argued that European Commission guidelines now give countries room to act, with age verification at sign-up seen as key. But concerns remain over technical hurdles, pushback from platforms, and the risk of infringing on personal freedoms.

The debate comes as several EU nations, including France, Spain, and Greece, urge Brussels to tighten regulation of minors’ online activity amid rising concerns over addiction, cyberbullying, and online hate speech.