- The French government may consider restricting VPNs
- Lawmakers recently passed a bill to ban under-15s from social media
- A French minister said that VPNs are next to be evaluated
France may consider restricting VPNs following their recent ban on social media for under 15s.
After facing questions about the possibility of teenagers circumventing the ban with VPNs, Anne Le Hénanff, ministerial delegate for artificial intelligence and digital affairs, said the ban was “just the first step.”
Why could France restrict VPNs?
Last week, France’s National Assembly approved the first reading of a bill that will stop teenagers under the age of 15 from using social media.
If the bill passes as expected, all social media platforms will be required to verify the age of all their users – including adults – by the end of 2026. It was reported by Le Monde.
Le Hénanff has not ruled out further measures to prevent children from using VPNs to circumvent the rules.
“We reached a very important step on Monday […] we are the first European country to set this age, 15 years old. This is just the beginning,” Le Hénanff said, noting that the average age for a child to sign up for social media in France is just eight and a half.
“At eight and a half, I don’t think anyone knows about VPNs unless they have an adult involved,” she added.
GLAÇANT Ce qui était traité hier comme du délire parano est nowreus assumé officially: l’interdiction des réseaux sociaux n’est qu’un début vers la censure d’Internet. https://t.co/iKCmRpTSdi31 January 2026
Le Hénanff’s statement quickly drew criticism online. French writer and film director Alexandre Jardin compared the plan to those seen in authoritarian regimes.
“What yesterday was treated as paranoid delirium is now officially admitted: the ban on social media is only the beginning of the censorship of the Internet,” Jardin wrote on X.
“The minister is already announcing, without even hiding it, the control of VPNs – just like in authoritarian regimes.”
This is not the first time VPNs have faced potential restrictions in the country. In 2023, a proposal to amend the SREN Bill also explored the possibility.
Speaking to TechRadar at the time, Andy Yen, founder and CEO of Proton – the company behind Proton VPN – warned that banning VPNs “would infringe on the fundamental rights of individuals that are central to France and European values.”
Beyond France
France is not alone in scrutinizing VPNs following the introduction of mandatory age verification.
The British government is set on review the use of VPNs as part of a three-month consultation on children’s online safety. This follows a vote in the House of Lords in support of an amendment that would completely ban VPNs for minors.
A similar debate is taking place across the United States. Michigan has taken the most radical stance so far, proposing a bill to ban not only VPN use but also the promotion of the technology.
However, cybersecurity and digital rights experts warn that banning VPNs could ultimately harm both children and adults by removing essential privacy and security protections.
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