France’s digital minister is turning up the heat on Big Tech, arguing it’s high time Europe stops letting social media platforms dodge responsibility when it comes to protecting kids online.
While visiting Dublin — home to the European headquarters of many tech giants — Minister Marina Ferrari Chappaz didn’t mince words. She called for the EU to tighten its grip and make age checks mandatory before users can create accounts. “It’s absurd that these companies, with all their advanced tech, claim they can’t tell the difference between an 11-year-old and a 15-year-old,” she said bluntly in a recent interview with La Tribune. “They know everything else — from sleep patterns to favorite videos — but somehow not a user’s age? That excuse has worn thin.”
Chappaz wasn’t alone in her mission. French MEP Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, also in Ireland, likened social media to the cigarettes of today’s youth. “It’s addictive. It’s engineered to hook. And it’s harming our children’s mental health,” she told Brussels Signal. “Let’s call it what it is — a public health crisis.”
Citing real-world consequences, Chappaz pointed to hospitals in France that have set up units specifically to treat screen addiction among young people. Her message? Parents shouldn’t be left to battle algorithm-driven platforms alone. “This isn’t about wagging fingers or moral panic. It’s about health, education, and our shared duty to protect,” she emphasized. “We’re not here to ban — we’re here to shield.”
TikTok France responded with its usual refrain, claiming age verification is a “complex challenge” for the industry. Chappaz scoffed at the notion. “These platforms can fine-tune content to a child’s mood, yet they act clueless about age. That kind of hypocrisy ends now.”
Back home, if France can’t drum up enough support across the EU, Chappaz says her government’s ready to go it alone with stricter national laws. But ideally, she wants Brussels on board. She confirmed Ireland’s Digital Affairs Minister, Niamh Smyth, is backing the initiative.
Meanwhile, the European Commission is still developing an age-check system linked to the upcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet — expected to launch in 2026 — which would let citizens verify their age across borders. But that’s years away, and Chappaz isn’t waiting.
Yon-Courtin, who’s working on a parliamentary report for the Digital Fairness Act, believes broader EU action is both necessary and inevitable. “We’re laying the groundwork now,” she said. “And no, it’s not about replacing parents — it’s about giving them the backup they need.”
The Commission insists that setting age limits falls under national jurisdiction, but both French officials argue the cross-border nature of the internet demands a pan-European solution. For now, the question isn’t if something should be done — it’s how fast the EU can catch up.
