France’s parliament is considering a proposal to ban children under the age of 15 from using social media platforms, joining countries such as Australia and Indonesia in tightening online safety rules for young users.
The proposal has reignited debate over one of the greatest challenges facing governments and technology companies: how to verify users’ ages accurately while protecting their privacy.
Around the world, researchers are already using or testing several methods, but each presents technical, legal and practical challenges.
One of the most straightforward options is requiring users to submit an official identity document, such as a passport or driving licence. While this method could provide reliable proof of age, it is not without drawbacks.
Young users may attempt to bypass restrictions by using documents belonging to older relatives or friends, while many adults may be reluctant to upload sensitive personal information simply to access social media services.
Australia, which introduced its social media restrictions in December, has taken a different approach. Platforms are not permitted to demand government-issued identification even when a user’s age is questioned.
Instead, they can rely on approved third-party verification providers. Snapchat, for example, accepts Australian bank account verification or confirmation through Singapore-based verification company k-ID.
France has already gained experience with third-party age verification through measures introduced last year to restrict minors’ access to online pornography.
Some verification providers use a so-called “double anonymity” model, allowing users to prove their age to an independent service, which then confirms eligibility to the platform without revealing personal identity.
Another solution is being developed at the European level. France is among several European Union member states testing an age verification application backed by the European Commission.
The app allows governments to set their minimum age requirements while enabling users to verify their eligibility using official documents stored securely within the system.
The technology is expected to become part of the EU’s planned digital wallet, designed to let citizens securely share official credentials when required.
It uses advanced cryptographic techniques, including so-called zero-knowledge proofs, enabling users to demonstrate they meet age requirements without exposing unnecessary personal data.
Artificial intelligence is also increasingly being used to estimate a user’s age through facial analysis. In Australia, Snapchat users can verify their age by taking a selfie that is analysed by k-ID. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, uses technology developed by London-based company Yoti, which estimates a person’s age in less than a minute before deleting the uploaded data, according to the company.
Yoti also works with TikTok, although experts have warned that AI systems may incorrectly estimate the age of users who are close to the legal threshold.
There are also concerns that determined young users could eventually find ways to evade automated checks.
Because facial recognition technologies involve biometric information, they are subject to strict legal safeguards across Europe under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), placing additional responsibilities on companies deploying such systems.
Social media platforms also rely on behavioural analysis to identify accounts that may belong to underage users. Most major platforms prohibit children under 13 from creating accounts, and automated systems monitor activity for signs that users may have misrepresented their age.
These systems analyse indicators such as profile images, birthday-related posts and browsing habits to identify accounts that may belong to younger users.
In 2024, TikTok said it removed 642,000 accounts in France that it suspected belonged to children under the age of 13.
However, behavioural monitoring also raises questions about privacy, transparency and accuracy. Critics argue that while such tools may improve online safety, they rely on extensive data analysis that could have wider implications for users’ digital privacy.
As France considers stricter rules for children’s access to social media, lawmakers face the difficult task of balancing online safety with privacy rights while ensuring any age verification system is both effective and proportionate.
