French parliamentary commission urges ban on social media for under-15s after TikTok inquiry

A French parliamentary commission on Thursday recommended banning social media for children under 15, imposing an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds and creating new legal duties on parents after a six-month inquiry into the psychological effects of TikTok on minors.

The cross‑party inquiry described TikTok as a platform that "knowingly exposes our children, our young people to toxic, dangerous and addictive content" and said the company had failed to take sufficient action to reduce teenagers' exposure to a "spiral of harmful content." The commission's 43 recommendations include a ban on social media accounts for under-15s, a prohibition on using apps between 22:00 and 08:00, a ban on mobile phones in schools and the creation of a crime of "digital negligence" for parents judged to have failed to protect their children.

Lead author Laure Miller told reporters that the proposal to criminalise parental negligence was intended as an extension of existing law. "If a six-year-old child spends seven hours a day in front of TikTok, we can ask ourselves the question: 'are their safety and morality really protected by their parents?'" she said.

The inquiry was set up after families accused TikTok of exposing their children to content that might have contributed to self-harm and suicide. Commissioners heard testimony from teenagers and the relatives of young victims. One mother said her daughter, who died in 2021, had been presented with music and videos that "advocate suicide as a liberation." Another family said their 14-year-old had been deluged with videos suggesting death as a solution.

Arthur Delaporte, the chairman of the inquiry, said he had decided to refer allegations that TikTok had deliberately "endangered the lives" of its users to the Paris public prosecutor. It is now for the prosecutor to decide whether to open a criminal investigation. Delaporte has also been asked to look into the death of a French influencer whose final moments were streamed on the platform Kick.

TikTok responded by rejecting the commission's characterisation. A spokesperson said the company "categorically rejected the commission's misleading characterisation of our platform" and warned against "scapegoating our company on industry‑wide and societal challenges." The company pointed to a "robust trust and safety programme" with more than 70 features and settings for teens and families, and noted it has introduced a 60‑minute screen limit for under‑18s and nudges for under‑16s to switch off the app after 22:00.

The commission's recommendations come as other countries move to tighten youth access to social media. Australia passed a law that will bar children under 16 from certain platforms unless companies take "reasonable steps" to prevent underage accounts; that law comes into force on Dec. 10. Denmark is considering a similar ban for under‑15s and Spain has sent a draft law to parliament that would require parental authorisation for under‑16s to access social media.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was watching the Australian implementation closely and will convene a panel of experts to report back by the end of 2025 on the best approach for Europe.

French lawmakers in the National Assembly are considering how to regulate the wider digital sector, including the ways content is recommended and monetised. The commission framed its proposals as measures to alter the incentives that govern short‑form video platforms, saying these systems can amplify risky and harmful content when it attracts attention and engagement.

The inquiry's findings and the referral to prosecutors mark a significant escalation in the scrutiny of algorithm‑driven platforms and their impact on young users. The next steps include any prosecutorial action in Paris, potential legislative measures in the National Assembly, and the forthcoming European expert panel that could influence broader EU policy on children's access to social media.