France's plan to ban social media for under-15s raises serious concerns about government overreach and unintended consequences. The law forces age verification, which can infringe on privacy and create a database of minors' personal information. Such data could be misused, and platforms may not have strong security measures to protect it.
Furthermore, the ban may not achieve its goals. Children can easily circumvent restrictions using VPNs or sharing accounts. The real problem lies in harmful content and addictive design, which affect users of all ages. Targeting age alone ignores root causes. A better approach would be to regulate platform algorithms and enforce existing content moderation rules.
Educators worry that the ban could limit children's opportunity to learn digital skills in a guided way. Social media can be a tool for creativity, civic engagement, and peer support, especially for marginalized youth. A blanket restriction treats all children the same, ignoring maturity differences.
Finally, the law sets a precedent for government control over online speech. If France can ban platforms for one age group, what stops it from expanding restrictions? The burden should be on platforms to create safer experiences, not on governments to dictate who can participate online.