To Fight Sexual Violence, Teenagers Advocate for Limits on Social Media Access

Le Figaro

5 days ago

The French Commission on Incest and Sexual Violence Against Children (Ciivise) has formed a 'mirror group' of 15 teenagers, aged 14 to 17, to suggest measures to combat sexual violence, based on their own experiences.
'Protect us on social media!' This is no longer just a measure promoted by experts and politicians. Teenagers themselves are calling for the introduction of an age limit — between 13 and 15 — for accessing digital platforms. This is one of the key recommendations made by a group of fifteen young people aged 14 to 17 from Paris, the suburbs, the provinces, and overseas territories, who were brought together by Ciivise to discuss measures to combat sexual violence against minors.
With one in ten children falling victim to this type of violence, 'this is the first time that adults have decided to give teenagers a voice on this issue,' says Léonie, 17, from Brittany. 'Until now, we haven't really been involved in public policy, even though we have ideas based on our experiences as teenagers.'
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While minors are overwhelmingly on Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram, digital prevention has been a 'major topic' of discussion for this Ciivise 'mirror' group, which has worked for a year and produced a report with 23 recommendations. 'There were heated debates about the minimum age for accessing social media,' says Sven, 15. 'We hesitated between 13 and 15. We didn't decide. We're letting the public debate run its course.'
The public debate is in full swing, with Emmanuel Macron stating in June that France should ban social media for children under 15 within 'a few months" if this is not done at the European level. A law to this effect was passed in 2023 but has so far remained a dead letter.
While some young people are less convinced than others about the effectiveness of a ban 'that will probably be circumvented,' they have nevertheless decided in favor of an age limit. 'It's an important signal. There can be no education without prohibition, just as there can be no prohibition without education,' says Sven. 'These are really two measures that work together, even if education can prevent many more dangers.'
Margot, for her part, favored the age limit of 15, her own age. 'In middle school, we're pretty immature and we're not necessarily aware of what's right or wrong on social media,' she says. Since the subject is rarely discussed with parents, 'we're thrown in at the deep end without any explanation and we find ourselves facing dangers.'
The teenager cited the case of friends whose photos were misused on Instagram, even modified by artificial intelligence. 'Social media is what will define relationships in the future. We need to learn how to use it properly,' says Sven, who is more in favor of a 13-year-old age limit. But still, '7-year-olds posting photos on social media is not acceptable!' he says.
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'TikTok is hot.'
Almost everyone has received messages, videos, photos, or solicitations of a sexual nature from strangers, often at a very young age. 'At the age of 9,' estimates Léonie. And on streaming sites, sexual pop-ups are rampant. 'TikTok is hot,' says Gabin, 18, who is concerned that even private videos are fed into the overwhelming algorithm of the Chinese social network, which is currently under scrutiny by a parliamentary committee. On X (formerly Twitter), there are 'videos of murders and rapes without any censorship, it's mind-boggling,' says Alice. The problem is that not being on social media 'excludes you from the group,' says Prune.
To protect the youngest users, this 'mirror' group of Ciivise also recommends that private messages should only be possible 'from the age of 13' and only between people who are mutual followers. Platforms that meet certain quality and safety criteria could also be awarded a label allowing them to be open to minors.
Mistrust toward the police and the justice system
The other major finding of this working group is that young people are the first to be confronted with the testimonies of victims of sexual violence and incest. In the group, everyone has at some point been the confidant of these difficult-to-bear secrets. This role encourages them to want to develop peer support, i.e., mutual aid between people of the same age or facing the same problems. This measure was unanimously agreed upon.
'Young people no longer necessarily trust the police and the justice system. That bond has been broken,' says Margot. 'We tend to turn to other young people, to our friends. But someone who hears these secrets doesn't necessarily know how to react. It's a heavy burden. We feel lost when faced with these revelations that are entrusted to us." Should one talk about it or keep it secret? Should one turn to a teacher or a nurse?
To better equip teenagers, the mirror group proposes the introduction of a peer support permit, obtained at school and adapted to each class. This 'training' would aim to ensure that every child knows how to receive and respond to testimonies and how to refer victims. 'We tend to teach young people to speak up, but we don't tell them anything about how to receive what they say,' says Samuel Comblez, deputy director general of the e-Enfance Association, who was one of the supervisors of this working group.
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The procedures to be followed in the event of disclosures could also be communicated as part of the new emotional, relational, and sexuality education program (EVARS), the teenagers suggest. All these ideas were presented to Sarah El Haïry, High Commissioner for Children, and Clara Chappaz, Minister Delegate for Digital Affairs. This material could be invaluable in legitimizing new measures.