Overview
- Arcom’s study reports an average first social media use age of 12, with 44% starting before 13 and 77% of 11–17 year olds encountering content they consider shocking.
- Nearly two thirds of minors surveyed (62%) admit lying about their age to register, underscoring how easily under‑13 bans are bypassed.
- Arcom will require platforms to present their age‑verification methods and demonstrate their effectiveness, while urging services tailored specifically for young users.
- The European Commission is piloting a privacy‑preserving age‑verification tool in five EU countries including France to bolster compliance.
- Arcom cites early impact from France’s porn‑site age‑gating law, with two services leaving the market and others adding checks, as a parliamentary inquiry separately proposes making TikTok off‑limits to under‑15s.