In context: Once a niche tool for IT professionals, VPNs have become a mainstream privacy safeguard. They encrypt users' data traffic and reroute it through remote servers, masking their true identity and location. That same ability to hide location, however, could allow French teenagers to bypass the country's planned age restrictions on social media platforms.
In France, one of the internet's oldest privacy tools may soon become the focus of a national policy debate. Weeks after lawmakers approved a bill to block social media access for anyone under 15, the French government signaled that virtual private networks could be next on its regulatory agenda.
Anne Le Hénanff, France's minister delegate for artificial intelligence and digital affairs, told broadcaster Franceinfo that the new social media law represents "just the first step" toward broader digital protections for minors. "VPNs are the next topic on my list," she said, hinting at follow-up legislation aimed at preventing young users from evading the social media ban.
The recently approved bill, still awaiting final adoption, would require all platforms – domestic and international – to verify every user's age by the end of 2026. The measure applies not only to minors but also to adults, as the system must validate identities across the board.
French officials describe it as an effort to enforce a clear cutoff age of 15. According to government data cited by Le Hénanff, the average French child opens a social media account by age eight and a half.
GLAÇANT
– Alexandre Jardin (@AlexandreJardin) January 31, 2026
Ce qui était traité hier comme du délire parano est désormais assumé officiellement :
l'interdiction des réseaux sociaux n'est qu'un début vers la censure d'Internet .
La ministre annonce déjà, sans se cacher, le contrôle des VPN – comme dans les régimes autoritaires.… https://t.co/iKCmRpTSdi
The suggestion that VPNs could face restrictions has sparked swift backlash from digital rights advocates and public figures. Writer and filmmaker Alexandre Jardin accused the government of adopting measures more commonly seen in authoritarian states. "What was treated yesterday as paranoid delirium is now officially admitted," Jardin wrote on X, arguing that controls on VPNs would amount to censorship of the open internet.
France has flirted with the idea before. In 2023, lawmakers debated whether to limit or regulate VPN services under the SREN bill, a broader digital sovereignty initiative. At the time, Proton CEO Andy Yen warned that a ban would "violate individuals' fundamental rights" under French and European law, particularly the right to privacy enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
VPN technology underpins much of modern web security, not just for private users but also for companies protecting remote employees and journalists managing sources. The encryption it provides serves as a barrier against network surveillance, data harvesting, and location tracking. Experts warn that restricting its use could unintentionally expose ordinary users to more risks than it prevents.
The debate in France echoes similar discussions elsewhere. In the United Kingdom, the government has launched a three-month consultation as part of its online safety framework, which could restrict VPN use by minors, following a House of Lords amendment supporting the idea.
In the United States, Michigan legislators have proposed a bill that would not only outlaw VPN use but also ban the advertising or promotion of VPNs, drawing criticism from cybersecurity experts.