your next goal is VPN connections
France is advancing in its crusade for the digital control of the youngest (and it seems that in Spain we are going to follow the same steps). After the approval in the National Assembly of the bill that prohibits the use of social networks to those under 15 years of age, the government is already anticipating what its next technological battle will be: VPN connections. The authorities fear that these tools serve as a back door to circumvent the new regulations and circumvent parental controls.
As reported TechRadarAnne Le Hénanff, Delegate Minister for Digital Affairs, has been clear on this matter, ensuring that the current legislation is only a first step. Given the real possibility that adolescents use VPN to simulate another location and bypass the blockade, the minister has confirmed to the media that “VPNs are the next issue” on her government evaluation list to guarantee the effectiveness of the law.
The plan drawn up by the French executive is ambitious and long-term. If the law continues its course and is definitively adopted, all social platforms will be obliged to verify age of its users, both new and existing, before the end of 2026. The government justifies these drastic measures by pointing out that the average age of access to these platforms in the country is just eight and a half years.
Controversy over privacy and Internet censorship
The minister argues that, at an early age, the use of evasion tools would require complicity of an adult. However, the declaration of intent regarding the possible restriction of VPNs has generated an immediate response in critical sectors. Voices from French culture, such as the writer Alexandre Jardin, have compared this drift with the practices of authoritarian regimescalling the measure the beginning of broader Internet censorship under the guise of child protection.
This is not the first time that France has attempted to legislate on this specific technology. In 2023, an attempt has already been made to introduce an amendment to limit access to VPNs, a proposal that was met with frontal opposition from digital privacy advocates. Industry experts warn that banning these tools could violate fundamental rights of European citizens, being key instruments for cybersecurity and legitimate anonymity on the Internet.
