More than two thirds of children aged 10 to 14 are in favor of a ban on social networks for those under 15, according to a study by Arcom, the audiovisual and digital regulator, unveiled on Friday July 24.
According to the results of this study, 69% of them believe that banning social networks for children under 15 is a “good idea”. The study, carried out by interviewing 1,012 children aged 10 to 14, was carried out at the beginning of June, before the adoption on Tuesday by Parliament of a law ratifying this ban, which must come into force from September.
Children “are asking for protection that comes from outside (…) even if they have some doubts about the immediate effectiveness” of the ban, commented the president of Arcom, Martin Ajdari.
The children interviewed during the study, conducted by the CSA polling institute, declared a large majority (67%) that they would respect the law. A significant portion (33%), however, indicates that they will find a way around it.
33% plan to circumvent the ban
If the text voted on by senators and deputies does not detail what age control methods can be used, several tools have already been used by platforms in Australia, which has banned access to networks for those under 16 since December 2025.
In certain cases, however, these methods can be circumvented, in particular by using a VPN, a tool allowing you to locate yourself in another country. Among the children surveyed in the Arcom study who say they will not respect the ban, a majority of them (64%) indicate that they will provide a false date of birth, an attempt which is likely to fail if age verification methods are effective.
Some (27%) say they will get help from their parents to create an account despite the ban, even though the law does not provide for sanctions for children who do not respect the ban, nor for their parents.
Most of the children surveyed should be directly impacted by the law which is due to come into force in September: 70% of them say they have at least one account on a social network or an online platform such as YouTube. For 10-12 year olds, this figure rises to 63%, despite the ban on under 13s already put in place by most platforms.
