TikTok under fire in France with calls for curfew on teenage users
French MPs say TikTok is a “slow poison” for young users as they call for stricter rules around social media.
French lawmakers have turned up the pressure on TikTok, describing it as a “slow poison” for young people and calling for major restrictions on social media use. As Complete Music Update reports, a French parliamentary inquiry has recommended banning children under 15 from using social platforms altogether, while introducing a night-time “digital curfew” for 15 to 18-year-olds that would block access between 10pm and 8am.
The inquiry’s final report accused TikTok of exposing children to an “ocean of harmful content” pushed by its algorithm. Arthur Delaporte, a Socialist MP who co-chaired the investigation, has even referred the matter to the Paris public prosecutor. As quoted in both CMU and The Guardian, Delaporte said: “The conclusion is clear: TikTok has deliberately endangered the health and lives of its users. That is why I have decided to refer the matter to the Paris public prosecutor.” He added: “It seems to me that there are offences of a criminal nature, of active complicity, and secondly, when TikTok executives came to see us, they told us that they were unaware of anything … and I believe that this also constitutes perjury.”
According to The Guardian, the committee’s recommendations went further than platform accountability. MPs called for a public information campaign to raise awareness among parents, and even suggested creating a new offence of “digital negligence” for those who fail to oversee their children’s online use. Co-chair Laure Miller stressed that the aim was to spark a wider debate about European regulation and how platforms could be forced to adjust their algorithms.
TikTok has firmly pushed back. The company told MPs it has invested heavily in safety features, claiming its AI moderation system caught 98% of harmful content in France last year. A spokesperson insisted: “We categorically reject the commission’s misleading characterisation of our platform that attempts to scapegoat our company on industry-wide and societal challenges.”
Also pointed out by TikTok were the 70+ “robust trust and safety” features and settings, such as new parental tools designed to manage screen time and promote healthier digital habits and safety features that give parents greater control over how teens use the app.
The French inquiry was launched after seven families filed a lawsuit in 2024 accusing TikTok of exposing their children to harmful material linked to self-harm and suicide.
Concerns about TikTok extend beyond France. Complete Music Update notes that Australia is drafting a ban for under-16s, India has kept its 2020 TikTok ban, and in the US, ByteDance faces pressure to sell TikTok’s operations amid data security fears. Congress has threatened a ban, though former President Trump has repeatedly extended the deadline, warning a group of American billionaires is ready to buy. Analysts say a US ban could seriously reshape music discovery online.
For now, it remains to be seen whether French prosecutors will take the next step and open a criminal investigation. But as governments continue to grapple with concerns around harmful content and data security, TikTok’s future looks increasingly uncertain.