The mixed joint commission agreed on June 20 a “numerical majority”, set at 15 years for the French, indicates Public Senate This Tuesday, June 26. This text was studied as part of the bill “with the aim of establishing a numerical majority and fighting online hate”. Broadly speaking, this new law, whose texts are still under study, will aim to better regulate the use of social networks, especially among the youngest.
More specifically, it is article 2 of this law that was unanimous among deputies and senators, before probably being adopted in the session on June 29. This text requires that “providers of online social networking services that carry out their activity in France deny the registration of minors under fifteen years of age in their services, unless one of the holders of parental authority over the minor authorizes this registration” . .
More specifically, minors under 15 years of age will no longer be able to register on a social network, or more broadly on a digital platform, without having the authorization of a parent or legal guardian.
While most social networks require a minimum age of 13 to register, despite more or less dense protection systems for minors, the joint committee agreed to a more restrictive limit. Among the arguments put forward is the figure of 46% of children between the ages of 6 and 10 who already own a smartphone. A statistic of a e-Enfance association study published in March 2023.
A complex application
Regarding the application, the rapporteur of the text and senator LR Alexandra Borchio-Fontimp compares the device with “what is done for sports betting platforms,” she explained to the Public Senate.
Specifically, it indicates that age will be “verified by an identity document” upon registration, but also for current users. A surprising statement, since the age verification device is a more than thorny issue for digital platforms, and one for which the government is widely expected to provide a solution.
His bets are already strongly crystallized around the issue of pornographic sites in France. Due to the lack of effective technical means that respect privacy, these complex cases drag on. To solve them, Cnil, Arcom and the main platforms will have to work together to offer viable solutions to verify the age of all French users in the coming months.
Source: BFM TV
