France: Introduced Bill aimed at establishing a digital majority and combating online hate establishing age verification requirement

On 17 January 2023, the Bill aiming to establish a numerical majority and to fight against online hatred was introduced in the National Assembly of France. The Bill proposes amending the Postal and Electronic Communications Code to incorporate the definition of online social networking services according to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Online social networking services are platforms enabling users to connect, communicate and share content. In addition, the Bill would require platforms to only allow users over 15 to register and use their services and obtain explicit parental consent for users under 15 to create an account. Furthermore, the Bill requires platforms to comply with orders related to illegal activities issued during investigations within 48 hours. Non-compliance may result in a fine of up to 1% of their annual turnover.