Latest news with #ClaraChappaz
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
France, Spain, Greece push for EU-wide age limit for kids on social media amid mental health woes - The Economic Times Video
France, Spain, and Greece are calling for a minimum age requirement across the EU for accessing social media, aiming to protect children from harmful algorithms, mental health risks, and cognitive impairment. French Minister Clara Chappaz says children are joining platforms as young as 7, bypassing the current age limit of 13. The EU's Digital Services Act already tackles illegal content, but new measures like age verification and default privacy settings for minors are being considered. Industry reps warn against rushing regulation, while the EU probes TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook for compliance on youth protection standards. #SocialMedia #DigitalSafety #EURegulations #ChildProtection #MentalHealth #France #Spain #Greece #TikTok #Instagram #Facebook #DigitalMajority #AgeLimit #ParentalControls #OnlineSafety #DSA #ClaraChappaz #DotEurope #EuropeanCommission
Euronews
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
3 EU countries start debate about minors' access to social media
The European debate on children's access to social media networks has begun, with three EU Member States promoting the idea of a "digital majority" or the age below which it would be forbidden to connect to such platforms. For France, Spain and Greece, the goal is to protect minors from dangerous online content. "Today, in the terms and conditions of use of these platforms, there is already a minimum age of 13," explains Clara Chappaz, the French Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy. However, Chappaz says: "We've all been children, it's very easy to change your date of birth. And so the current system means that, on average, children are logging on and creating accounts from the age of 7-8." France, Spain and Greece believe that the algorithms used by social networks expose the very young to addictive content that can ultimately lead to increased anxiety or depression. They also argue that excessive exposure may limit the development of certain skills and impair cognitive abilities. The EU currently has legislation in place in the form of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which tackles illegal online content such as hate speech, terrorism and child pornography. The law has been in place for almost two years for larger platforms and search engines, and just over a year for smaller organisations. But for industry representatives in Brussels, new legislation appears premature. "We believe that the new rules must first be properly applied. We haven't yet seen all the effects," says Constantin Gissler, Managing Director of Dot Europe, which represents online services and platforms in Brussels. "I think it's a bit hasty at this stage to be already discussing new rules and I think it's also very important that we take more account of the reality and implications for minors of such a ban," he adds. Paris, Madrid and Athens are also proposing the integration of age verification and parental control systems for devices connected to the Internet. The European Commission is currently working on an age verification application. Last month it published draft guidelines to protect minors, such as measures to verify the age of users or to set children's accounts as private by default. It is also conducting investigations against TikTok, Instagram and Facebook in relation to the protection of minors.
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
TikTok bans popular phrase and blocks its search results following concerns that it's 'harmful' and promotes eating disorders
TikTok has banned a widely used term and blocked all its search results amid concerns that it promotes eating disorders. A hashtag and also a self-proclaimed online community, 'Skinntytok' has now been censored by the social media platform for fear it promotes extreme thinness and unhealthy weight loss techniques. The video-sharing app implemented a worldwide crackdown on the term as of June 1, and took steps to restrict all search results for the hashtag. The company said the new restriction is part of a 'regular review' to 'address evolving risks' on the site, but follows concerns raised by European regulators, according to the Mirror. 'Skinnytok' posts are typically targeted at young women, and see content creators sharing weight-loss techniques and guidance deemed unhealthy by many. 'We have blocked search results for #skinnytok since it has become linked to unhealthy weight loss content,' TikTok spokesperson Paolo Ganino said in a statement last week. Now, users who search the term will be redirected to sources offering mental health support. Before the ban, content associated with the hashtag reached a problematic crescendo, with the app awash with young women glamourising eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Both the European Commission and French digital regulator Arcom took notice and stepped in. The European Commission investigated the trend after France's Digital Minister Clara Chappaz pushed for an in-depth exploration of the online sphere, and created a public petition titled 'Stop Skinnytok'. When news of the ban broke, Clara wrote triumphantly on X: 'Skinnytok is OVER! This is a first collective victory. I salute it. 'However, the fight to protect our children online doesn't stop there. And I won't give up. Banning social media before 15 is my priority.' The platform's ban is extensive, and even suppresses searches for the term 'SkinnierTok'. Searching for either term on TikTok prompts the message: 'You're not alone. Searching for either 'Skinnytok' or 'Skinniertok' on TikTok prompts the above message urging users to seek support 'If you or someone you know has questions about body image, food or exercise – it is important to know that help is out there and you are not alone. 'If you feel comfortable, you can confide in someone you trust or check out the resources below. Please remember to take care of yourselves and each other.' Also provided is a helpline number and a link to the platform's Eating Disorder Safety Centre page. As many app users and content creators have already been quick to point out, banning the term is a win but not an absolute measure. Similar hashtags have been suppressed for safety reasons, but users have proved savvy in dodging the guidelines and creating alternative search terms, even if it means speaking in code. Nonetheless, social media platforms are being forced to take steps to protect the welfare of young and impressionable app users. Under the Online Safety Act, coming into force this summer, social media companies will have to respond to and remove harmful content more quickly. They will have to ensure they introduce rigorous age checking and take steps to tame dangerous algorithms. And, as per Ofcom's children's safety codes which were published last week, tech companies must begin to assess the risk of harm to children on their platforms. These protections will be legally enforceable from next month, and companies that do not comply could face serious penalties. Before the ban, 'Don't reward yourself with food, you're not a dog' was one of the so-called affirmations sweeping Skinnytok. Snappy phrases, inspired by Kate Moss's controversial 'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels' saying, have become synonymous with restrictive diets that were being promoted. And while the body positivity movement of the 2010s sought to celebrate diverse bodies, it seems Gen Z has become consumed by 'glow-up culture' reminiscent of the 90s. Hiding behind a facade of gleaming exercise gear and Tupperware salads, the hashtag associated with more than half a million posts on TikTok promotes 1000-calorie diets and extreme exercise challenges. Sophia Healy, who struggled with anorexia for six years, said social media helped fuel her eating disorder - and fears this will have a similar impact on young girls. The 27-year-old told MailOnline: 'Social media 100 per cent glamorises it. 'You get some girls on TikTok talking about staying skinny and what they eat to stay skinny, like being skinny is the be-all and end-all, you have to be skinny to be happy. 'And then you get other people that constantly show what they eat in a day but it's the bare minimum thing but obviously you see it as a consumer and think I've got to eat like them to look like them. 'There was a time where curvy was considered "better". I followed influencers who were preaching body positivity and now they've suddenly got really skinny.'
Irish Examiner
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Colman Noctor: France pulls the plug on underage access to pornography
In a significant stride toward safeguarding its children, the French government has enacted stringent age verification laws targeting online pornography. Aimed at curbing underage access to explicit content, the move has sparked a global conversation on the balance between child protection and digital privacy. As of June 4, 2025, all adult websites accessible within the country are required to implement robust age verification systems. These systems must ensure that users are at least 18 years old, using details such as a credit card or ID document, before granting access to their content. In a novel move, the law introduces a 'double anonymity' mechanism, involving an independent third party overseeing the age verification process. These measures combined ensure that pornographic sites do not access the user's personal data. The regulatory authority ARCOM is responsible for enforcement and has warned that non-compliant websites will face significant penalties, including fines of up to €150,000 or 2% of their global turnover, as well as the potential for indefinite blocking in France. In retaliation, Aylo — the company that owns most of the major adult websites such as Pornhub, YouPorn, and RedTube — has threatened to suspend access to its platforms in France citing concerns over user privacy and data security. From last Wednesday (June 5), French-based visitors to Aylo-owned adult sites have been greeted with a message denouncing the country's age verification requirements. The company has indicated that if these laws continue, it will cease operating in France. The French authorities are standing firm against these threats. Free to leave The impetus for this legislation arises from disturbing statistics indicating that approximately 2.3m minors in France access pornographic websites monthly. Exposure to such content at a young age has been linked to distorted perceptions of sexuality, an increased risk of developing unhealthy relationships, and potential desensitisation to sexual violence. The French culture minister Aurore Berge wrote on X that it would 'so much the better' if Pornhub and other Aylo sites cut off access for French users rather than 'conforming to our legal framework'. She went on to say that 'There will be less violent, degrading and humiliating content accessible to minors in France.' Clara Chappaz, France's junior minister for artificial intelligence and digital technology, wrote on X, 'If Aylo would rather leave France than apply our laws, [it is] free to do so.' The ministers seem to have broad public support. A study by the eSafety Commissioner found that a significant majority of adults in France support age verification measures to protect children online, and those objecting to it seem to be a loud minority. Similar sentiments have been echoed in other countries, with a 2017 YouGov survey revealing that 83% of British adults agreed there should be an age limit for accessing pornography online. This view was particularly strong among British parents, with 83% supporting the introduction of age verification processes for access to pornographic websites. In New Zealand, a 2023 poll conducted by Curia Market Research for Family First NZ found that 79% of respondents supported a law requiring age verification on pornographic websites. Despite widespread support, the global implementation of age verification systems raises concerns in certain quarters about user privacy and data security. Critics of this new French law argue that requiring users to submit personal identification could lead to potential data breaches and misuse of sensitive information. It would seem the law's 'double anonymity' approach, which seeks to minimise data exposure by separating the verification process from the content providers, is not reassurance enough for some. Aylo representatives say the 'double anonymity' system is an ineffective mechanism because people's data could still be at risk of being divulged through hacks or leaks. They argue countries should be targeting developers of operating systems like Microsoft's Windows, Apple's iOS or Google's Android, rather than pornography platforms. French authorities have acknowledged Aylo's concerns about potential data breaches. However, they have emphasised that the 'double anonymity' system is designed to safeguard user privacy and ensure that neither adult content websites nor age verification providers can identify users or know which specific sites are being accessed. Making it a movement France's decisive action on age verification highlights the urgent need to protect children from premature exposure to explicit content in the unregulated online world. While maintaining a delicate balance between safeguarding children and preserving individual privacy rights, the implementation of thoughtful, privacy-conscious, and robust age verification systems represents a crucial step forward in our collective effort to protect children. As technology continues to evolve, our strategies must also adapt to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the younger generation online. As countries worldwide observe the impact of the legislation, it could catalyse a broader movement toward stricter online age verification protocols. It is encouraging to see that the European Commission has confirmed the introduction of an EU-wide age verification app, or mini-wallet, in July 2025, aimed at enhancing online protection for minors. Ireland is also making progress in promoting online safety for children and young people by offering educational programmes and resources, helping children, parents, and educators to be more informed. These initiatives include interactive talks in primary and secondary schools, which focus on topics such as protecting privacy, managing digital footprints, and understanding cyberbullying. Organisations like CyberSafeKids provide information sessions to raise awareness about online risks and practical advice on safeguarding children in the digital world. These and other similar initiatives have led to the implementation of voluntary codes regarding the delay of smartphone ownership in primary schools and the potential introduction of smartphone pouches in secondary schools. In addition, Ireland has introduced a new Online Safety Code, in October 2024, which marks a significant development in ensuring safer online experiences for children. Released by the media regulator Coimisiún na Meán, the code sets binding rules for video-sharing platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and X. Platforms that fail to comply with the code's standards, including prohibitions on harmful content and the implementation of age verification measures, could face fines of up to €20m. The code aims to end the era of self-regulation by obligating social media companies to protect users from harmful content, including promoting self-harm, cyberbullying, and other illegal activities. These combined efforts reflect Ireland's commitment to creating a safer digital environment for its younger population. By integrating educational programmes with regulatory measures, the country is taking a comprehensive approach to online safety, ensuring that children are equipped with the knowledge and tools to navigate the digital world responsibly. However, sometimes education and awareness can only go so far, and collective action is required. If we were to follow the bold actions of France and institute a compulsory age verification system, this initiative would lead to significant progress in protecting the safety of our children in the online world. Dr Colman Noctor is a child psychotherapist Read More Colman Noctor: Using a sports psychology game plan to manage exam stress
Gulf Insider
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Pornhub Pulls Out Of France In Spat Over Age Checks
Vive la resistance – in reverse. Pornhub and its sister sites YouPorn and RedTube have gone dark in France, yanking access to their content Wednesday in a dramatic protest over a government crackdown on underage users. The move comes after Aylo – the firm behind the trio of X-rated titans – hit pause on its French operations rather than comply with a new law requiring porn platforms to verify users are 18 or older. 'I can confirm that Aylo has made the difficult decision to suspend access to its user-uploaded platforms… in France,' a Pornhub spokesperson said Tuesday. 'We will be using our platforms to directly address the French public tomorrow.' Aylo, which operates some of the world's most trafficked adult sites, is now in a standoff with France's digital watchdog, Arcom, which has the power to block sites and fine operators who fail to screen out minors. French officials aren't exactly begging them to stay. 'If Aylo would rather leave France than apply our laws, they are free to do so,' Clara Chappaz, France's junior minister for artificial intelligence and digital technology, posted bluntly on X. According to Arcom, some 2.3 million minors access porn sites every month in France – a clear violation of laws requiring age gating. The government has demanded stricter controls, like government ID or verified digital passports. But Aylo claims the measures would compromise user privacy and create security risks, setting up a classic clash between data protection and content regulation. Now, French users clicking over to Pornhub are getting nothing but a cold shower – a sudden blackout that leaves millions of adults scrambling for alternatives. Whether the blackout is a temporary gambit or a long-term exit remains unclear. But one thing's for sure: in France, the liberté to browse adult content just got a whole lot harder to come by.
