"VPNs are next on my list" – France set to evaluate VPN use following social media ban for under-15s

• The French government may consider restricting VPNs
• Lawmakers recently passed a bill to ban under-15s from social media
• A French minister said that VPNs are next to be evaluated

France may consider restricting VPNs following its recent social media ban for under-15s.

After facing questions about the possibility of teens circumventing the ban with VPNs, Anne Le Hénanff, Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs, said that the ban was "just the first step."

Speaking to Franceinfo, Le Hénanff said: "If [this legislation] allows us to protect a very large majority of children, we will continue. And VPNs are the next topic on my list."

Why France could restrict VPNs?

Last week, France's National Assembly approved the first reading of a bill that will stop teens under-15s from using social media.

If the bill is adopted as expected, all social media platforms will be required to verify the age of all their users – including adults – before the end of 2026, Le Monde reported.

Le Hénanff hasn't ruled out further measures to prevent children from using VPNs to bypass the rules.

"We reached a very important step on Monday [...] we are the first European country to have set this age, 15 years old. This is just the beginning," Le Hénanff said, noting that the average age for a child to sign up for social media in France is just eight and a half.

"At eight and a half, I don't think anyone knows about VPNs, unless they have the complicity of an adult," she added.

Le Hénanff's statement quickly attracted criticism online. French writer and film director Alexandre Jardin compared the plan to those seen in authoritarian regimes.

"What was treated yesterday as paranoid delirium is now officially admitted: the ban on social media is just the beginning of the censorship of the Internet," Jardin wrote on X.

"The minister is already announcing, without even hiding it, the control of VPNs – just like in authoritarian regimes."

This isn't the first time VPNs have faced potential restrictions in the country. In 2023, a proposed amendment to the SREN bill also explored the possibility.

Speaking to TechRadar at the time, Andy Yen, Founder and CEO of Proton – the company behind Proton VPN – warned that prohibiting VPN "would violate individuals’ fundamental rights that are central to France and European values."

Beyond France

France is not alone in scrutinizing VPNs following the introduction of mandatory age verification.

The UK government is set to review the use of VPNs as part of a three-month consultation on children's online safety. This follows a vote in the House of Lords in support of an amendment that would ban VPNs for minors entirely.

A similar debate is occurring across the US. Michigan has taken the most radical stance so far, proposing a bill to ban not only VPN usage but also the promotion of the technology.

However, cybersecurity and digital rights experts warn that banning VPNs could ultimately harm both children and adults by stripping away essential privacy and security protections.

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