The results of a barometer on the use of screens by children and adolescents have just been published, and the observation is clear: the French want better supervision of the digital practices of the youngest.
Pornography, cyberbullying, inappropriate content, misinformation, unattainable beauty standards, screen addiction… The dangers that young people – and others – face on the Internet are numerous, especially since at this age, Internet users are more vulnerable to the comments and content posted online by other people, but are also less aware of the issues and possible repercussions of the content they publish themselves, such as personal information and photos. Furthermore, by leaving their profile open to the public, minors can be exposed to people with malicious intentions, who can contact them. Danger can occur in just a few clicks!
It is for all these reasons that Emmanuel Macron called, during a press conference held on April 25, to regain control over online content, believing that:“Before the age of 15, there must be parental control over access to this digital space“, and advocated for the establishment of“a digital majority at 15 years old in Europe”. An idea that seems to be shared by a majority of French people, as evidenced by the fourth edition of the Harris Interactive Barometer on screen usage and associated issues. According to the survey commissioned by the Government, 73% of French people say they are in favor of banning social networks for children under 15. The finding is clear: they expect more supervision regarding the digital practices of the youngest.
Digital majority: for better supervision of digital practices
According to the survey results, 90% of French people – or 9 out of 10 people! – are in favor of banning screens in early childhood facilities. Among them, 64% are even completely in favor. Similarly, the majority of French people would like this ban to extend to nursery schools – 88% in favor, including 57% completely in favor. This would involve following the experts’ recommendations, since a report of the High Council of Public Health (HCSP), published in January 2020, recommends “proscribe” screens before the age of three, “if the conditions for parental interaction are not met”.
This desire to protect the youngest in the digital context continues in the private sphere. Thus, 84% of those surveyed say they are ready to give up buying a mobile phone before the age of 11, including more than one in two who are completely ready. 69% even want to give it up before the age of 13. A speech, however, in contrast to reality since, according to a study by the Junior City firm published in 2021, more than half of schoolchildren aged 7 to 14 (55%) own a mobile phone…
For older minors, a desire to limit usage is evident. Thus, 75% of respondents want usage to be severely restricted in high schools, while 73% are in favor of banning social networks for children under the age of 15.
Digital majority: a difficult measure to implement
The French therefore seem to be rather in agreement with the law on the digital majority voted in 2023 (see our article), although it has not yet been applied. Moreover, the implementation of such a measure on a French scale seems difficult. The system would have the difficult task of reconciling efficiency and the protection of privacy and personal data. The solutions envisaged could well be the same as those that will be put in place to enforce the age limit for access to pornographic sites, which the Government is currently putting in place, but which also has significant limitations (see our article).
Such a project is also stuck at the European level. Thierry Breton, European Commissioner, had disapproved of the famous law because of a risk of “fragmentation [du] “European single market”even though the Digital Services Act (DSA) is supposed to “to harmonize it”: France “would impose unjustified restrictions on the free provision of services“, he explained, especially for services that are not established in France. This is also the problem that arose for age verification on pornographic sites – ultimately, the measure voted only concerned platforms established in France or outside the European Union. The problem is therefore far from being resolved!