Here's a question worth sitting with: if a restriction was ruled unconstitutional in France, should the answer be to move the rule up a level and override that protection entirely?
President Macron is pushing for an EU-wide social media ban for children under 15 and has reportedly urged Ursula von der Leyen to introduce a bloc-wide legislative mandate. The French Constitutional Council previously blocked similar legislation on national constitutional grounds, and a Europe-wide law would sidestep that obstacle altogether.
On the surface, protecting children online is a goal nearly everyone shares. But the mechanics matter. Age verification at scale means Identity checks for everyone, not just children. A mandate that supersedes national constitutional protections sets a precedent that will outlive this particular debate. And there's precious little evidence these bans actually make children safer. They tend to push activity further into the shadows while concentrating power over which platforms people can access.
If you care about an open internet, watch this one closely. When governments find constitutional roadblocks inconvenient, the answer should never be to route around them.
Watch the full breakdown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDTWW_bvvmI
What's your read: protection or power grab?
#DigitalRights #Privacy #SocialMedia #Decentralisation #EU
President Macron is pushing for an EU-wide social media ban for children under 15 and has reportedly urged Ursula von der Leyen to introduce a bloc-wide legislative mandate. The French Constitutional Council previously blocked similar legislation on national constitutional grounds, and a Europe-wide law would sidestep that obstacle altogether.
On the surface, protecting children online is a goal nearly everyone shares. But the mechanics matter. Age verification at scale means Identity checks for everyone, not just children. A mandate that supersedes national constitutional protections sets a precedent that will outlive this particular debate. And there's precious little evidence these bans actually make children safer. They tend to push activity further into the shadows while concentrating power over which platforms people can access.
If you care about an open internet, watch this one closely. When governments find constitutional roadblocks inconvenient, the answer should never be to route around them.
Watch the full breakdown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDTWW_bvvmI
What's your read: protection or power grab?
#DigitalRights #Privacy #SocialMedia #Decentralisation #EU