Should children under 15 have a digital curfew on social media?

IN A move that could reshape the way children interact with social media, a French parliamentary commission has recommended a ban on social media platforms for children under 15 years old and proposed a nightly “digital curfew” for young people aged 15 to 18.

- ALYSSIA BIRJALAL

The urgent recommendation follows a six-month inquiry into the psychological effects of TikTok on minors, which revealed alarming findings about the app’s impact on young users.

The commission's report highlights concerns that TikTok “knowingly exposes our children, our young people to toxic, dangerous and addictive content”.

Their investigation was spurred by serious concerns from families who have seen their children harmed by the platform.

One mother recounted her daughter’s tragic story, sharing: “The content she watched was deadly ... prioritising songs that advocate suicide as a liberation”

In another testimony, a mother, who lost her 14-year-old daughter, said: “At no point was she exposed to content that could have inspired her to live. She was deluged with videos that suggested death as a solution”