Sexual violence: minors demand better protection on social networks

Whether victims or witnesses of incest or not, they come from all over France: from city centers, suburbs, or overseas. After meeting remotely once a month since January, these young people presented their report on Tuesday to the High Commissioner for Children, Sarah El Haïry, and to the Minister for Digital Affairs, Clara Chappaz, as well as to members of the Ciivise (French National Council for the Rights of Children). After a press conference, they will present it on Wednesday to the members of the National Assembly's Delegation for Children's Rights.

"Protect us from social media," "help us help others," "include us in prevention programs," and "improve listening and support for victims": these are the main messages they practiced presenting to political decision-makers on Tuesday, along with community organizations (Cofrade, E-Enfance).

“A 40-year-old adult can easily create a girl profile.”

"When you sign up for a social network like Instagram, it doesn't take more than a minute to receive a private message from a stranger. Young people accept it because they're proud to have followers. However, a 40-year-old adult can easily create a profile as a girl to approach young people," says Côme.

"My seven-year-old cousin formed a romantic relationship with someone she met on a social network," continues another young person. "On social networks, you don't talk to just anyone," they say in the text they prepared. These young people recommend that sending private messages should only be possible "from the age of 13" and only for people who are mutually subscribed.

In their report, they propose awarding "labels to platforms that meet certain quality criteria" and prohibiting those that do not have this label from opening their services to minors.

Too early on the networks

The risks of cybercrime should be integrated into the "internet permit" and "PIX" programs, two programs used in the National Education system to raise awareness of digital technology, which students consider to be poorly adapted.

Their report recommends an "age threshold" for access to social media, with an "identity verification method that respects personal data." They admit to having used it themselves "too early," often at the beginning of middle school. "In my little sister's class, there are six-year-olds who have TikTok accounts," explains Léonie.

A law passed in 2023 stipulates that minors under the age of 15 cannot register on a social network without parental consent. However, it has not yet come into force, pending a response from the European Commission on its compliance with European law.

Young people want to train

Furthermore, it is to young people, more than to adults, that victims of sexual violence confide, and they would like to be trained and supported so that they can listen to them, advise them and refer them to "competent and caring" adults.

"It's during the evenings, when there are three of us in the kitchen and the alcohol loosens our tongues, that this kind of confidence comes out," confides Léonie. "It's massive, it happens often." "A friend confided in me that he was a victim of incest. I was devastated and sorry I hadn't been there for him sooner. But I didn't know who to direct him to," confides a young man who requested anonymity.

They recommend a "peer support license dedicated to sexual violence," adapted to each age, from primary to secondary school, to create trained "reference persons" among young people in each establishment.