As part of their ongoing commitment to protect children from online risks, France has introduced a new law requiring social media platforms, including TikTok, to verify the ages of users and obtain parental consent for individuals below 15 years of age.
This legislative measure reflects the government’s proactive stance against cyberbullying and other digital crimes.
The ‘landmark’ law would be ‘applied as soon as possible’, the Digital Transition Minister Jean-Noel Barrot informed lawmakers.
While the Senate approved the age verification bill on Thursday, the actual implementation date is currently undetermined, as no specific timeframe has been set, and the European Commission’s assessment of its adherence to EU law is still pending.
Websites will be granted a one-year grace period to adhere to the policy for new subscribers, and an additional two-year timeframe to implement the requirements for existing users.
The worries expressed by legislators covered a wide array of topics, from the adverse impact of pornography and cyberstalking to the perpetuation of unattainable beauty standards and the addictive nature of attention-driven platforms.
These specific risks, which pose a particular threat to young users, shed light on the limitations of current regulations that primarily concentrate on personal data collection rather than effectively addressing children’s access to social media.
In France, there exists a theoretical deterrent to prevent individuals below the age of 13 from accessing websites. However, this barrier seems to be ineffective in reality.
The French National Commission for Technology and Freedoms (CNIL) has disclosed that children as young as eight years old are bypassing these restrictions and registering on websites.
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Moreso, it is alarming to discover that a significant majority (more than 50%) of children aged 10 to 14 are active users of social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram.
The imminent legislation will establish a strict obligation for websites to obtain consent from parents or guardians when users are below the age of 15.
Complying with the guidelines set by the French Arcom regulator, social media firms will need to implement appropriate technical measures. Failure to adhere to this law could result in substantial fines, equivalent to 1 percent of the company’s global revenues.
Additionally, the law will empower parents to request the suspension of accounts belonging to their children under 15, while also requiring platforms to offer tools enabling parents to effectively manage and restrict their children’s screen time.
During a discussion on Wednesday, Laurent Marcangeli, the lawmaker responsible for spearheading the act, candidly admitted that the legislation would not fully resolve concerns regarding the online safety of children.
He further urged for ‘advancements in age verification technology online and heavily investing into digital education for parents, children and teachers.’
French legislators have recently proposed a new bill aimed at safeguarding children’s image rights and preventing parental abuses on social networks. However, it is important to note that the bill is still in the process of being drafted into law.
In addition to this development, parliamentary measures were introduced in March to address the issue of children’s excessive exposure to screens. These initiatives reflect the ongoing efforts by French lawmakers to protect children and mitigate the potential risks associated with their online presence.
Minister Barrot is set to present a bill aimed at ‘securing and regulating the digital space’ in the upcoming week. The proposed legislation includes various measures, one of which involves mandating pornographic websites to implement age verification procedures to ensure that their users are of legal age.
This bill demonstrates the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges and risks associated with the digital realm.