The French Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy, Clara Chappaz, was in Brussels on Tuesday 24 June, determined to press France’s concerns regarding the protection of minors online - namely, strict age verification when accessing social networks and raising the minimum age for their use to 15.
“I think there is a broad consensus that we absolutely need to put in place a framework on social media platforms, and so far the tools we have been given have not been sufficiently implemented”, said the minister.
France shares this battle horse with Denmark, which is due to take over the rotating presidency of the EU Council at the beginning of July, as well as several other member countries that have come out in favour of the initiative (see EUROPE 13655/2).
The Commission is currently drawing up guidelines for platforms on the protection of minors, under Article 28 of the Digital Services Act (see EUROPE 13639/18).
However, French MEP Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Renew Europe) was highly critical of Europe’s willingness to make rapid progress on the issue, describing the voice of the Commissioner for Technological Sovereignty, Henna Virkkunen, as “weak”.
However, it is difficult to say exactly what France expects from the Commission in legislative and technical terms. The latter is currently preparing the roll-out of a “digital wallet”, which is expected to serve as a test for the introduction of an age and identity verification tool at European level. France has volunteered to test it.
According to Prabhat Argawal, Head of Unit at DG CONNECT, strict age verification is “technically feasible”, provided that platforms introduce a reliable system - as advocated in the guidelines and the DSA.
“There are a wide variety of platforms and just as many levels of danger to which minors are exposed. Practices and methods for restricting access vary just as much”, he stressed. At this stage, the DSA remains the main tool on which the EU is relying to ensure the protection of minors on social networks. (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)