French Parliamentary Report Links TikTok's AI Algorithms to Youth Mental Health Harm
A French parliamentary commission found TikTok's recommendation algorithm exploits psychological vulnerabilities of minors and correlates with mental health deterioration, particularly in girls. The report, prompted by families suing over harmful content exposure, recommends banning social networks for under-15s and restricting access for ages 15–18.
What happened
A French parliamentary commission investigating psychological effects of social media on minors adopted a report on 11 September 2025 finding that TikTok 'consciously exposes' children and adolescents to dangerous content. The commission, launched in March 2025 following a lawsuit by seven families, audited families of victims, social media executives and influencers to analyze TikTok's algorithm.
The report concluded that TikTok's recommendation algorithm 'exploits the psychological vulnerabilities of people under 18 years old, such as dependency, sedentary lifestyle or lack of sleep' and 'consolidates harmful social dynamics' like social comparison. Deputies found a 'clear correlation' between 'deterioration of mental health' in young people and 'intensive use of social networks', with effects more pronounced in girls.
Reported impact
The report was prompted by families who sued TikTok over exposure of their children to content that could encourage suicide. Géraldine, mother of 18-year-old Pénélope who died by suicide in February 2024, discovered videos of her daughter self-harming posted on TikTok; though she stated TikTok did not kill her daughter, she alleged the platform 'pushed' her toward unhappiness and criticized lack of online moderation.
Deputies noted the platform 'promotes, through mechanisms of viralization of problematic content, the dissemination of negative political ideologies that contravene human rights' and observed that TikTok representatives showed evasiveness during hearings, with dozens of questions remaining unanswered.
Index analysis
The report identifies TikTok's algorithm design as exploiting minors' psychological vulnerabilities and creating dependency. Deputies stated the algorithm's design 'has been copied by other social networks'.
Governance controls
The report recommends banning social networks for persons under 15 years old and restricting access hours for those aged 15 to 18, stating such a ban would 'send a signal to both children and parents that before age 15, social networks are not harmless'. The report further recommends banning access for those under 18 if, within three years, 'social networks do not satisfactorily comply with their legal obligations', especially regarding the European Digital Services Regulation (DSA).
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.