Ban on social media for under-15s: the foundations of a new social norm.

Platforms’ responsibility at the heart of the scheme

Speaking on France Inter, Justine Atlan, the Association’s Chief Executive, welcomed this key milestone. Young children’s access to social media can no longer be regarded as a minor issue. The responsibility of the platforms must remain at the heart of the framework, so that they can design services tailored to the age of their users. Age verification is, in this respect, the cornerstone of ‘digital coming of age’, as it allows for the confirmation of a single piece of identity information – the user’s age – without leading to systematic identification or the disproportionate collection of personal data. The protection of minors and respect for privacy need not be mutually exclusive.
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In *La Croix*, Samuel Comblez, Deputy Director-General of the Association and a child and adolescent psychologist, pointed out in particular that young people are not naive about the risks they face online, but are often the first to call for greater protection and tools to deal with platforms designed to capture their attention.
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In *Le Parisien*, Inès Legendre, Head of Advocacy at the e-Enfance / 3018 Association, emphasised that social media can also offer young people spaces for socialising, creativity and self-expression. She pointed out that a ban must be accompanied by a genuine change in the way platforms are designed, so as to offer safer and more protective services for all age groups and spaces tailored to their social needs.
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The next steps, particularly at European level, will therefore be crucial in setting out the practical arrangements for implementing the legislation, ensuring its effectiveness and, ultimately, promoting a harmonised approach across the European Union.

This law must serve as a real catalyst for social media and, more broadly, for all digital platforms, so that they can finally offer models that are genuinely suited to children’s development and protection. The digital world must be a place where they can flourish.

This also involves strengthening digital literacy to help them better understand how to use them, recognise instances of abuse or violence, and know who to turn to when they encounter a problem online.