The bill was adopted unanimously and aims to force manufacturers of connected devices to include free and easy-to-use parental controls.
Source: Kelly Sikkema // Unsplash
Emmanuel Macron had shown his support for a bill which aims to encourage parental control over smartphones and other devices allowing to connect to the Internet, in a video broadcast online on November 18, 2021, on the occasion of the National Day. to combat bullying at school.
“ Their parents must be there to protect them from the possible dangers that digital services can pose: access to pornographic content, ultraviolence, cyberbullying, gambling, drug use, online hate and contact with potentially malicious strangers, among others — Bruno Studer, The Marching Republic
This Wednesday, January 19, 2021, the deputies voted this famous bill which aims to install free parental control by default on connected screens. More specifically, all connected products must incorporate a solution to prevent ” access to services and content likely to harm moral or physical integrity » minors.
What can it change?
The purpose of this law is to oblige manufacturers of electronic devices to integrate and offer during the first start-up the activation of a parental control function. We lack details to know precisely the necessary functions, it will be necessary to wait for a decree in Council of State which will specify the minimum functionalities and other technical characteristics.
This measure applies to all connected products: TVs, PCs, tablets, smartphones, connected watches, game consoles, etc. except internet boxes and home automation. The text provides for a sanction if the measure is not applied, the equipment may be withdrawn from the market if it presents a risk or lack of conformity.
What’s more, products sold second-hand are also included in the measure. This raises real questions of feasibility: it is possible to update the software of a device remotely, but it seems unthinkable to apply it to connected products whose software monitoring has been stopped. In theory, this law will force OS publishers (Android, Windows, macOS, GNU / Linux, etc.) to integrate the famous parental control tools but also to offer the setting when the machine is first started.
It is the National Frequency Agency (ANFR), already in charge of monitoring the placing on the market of equipment, which would be in charge of monitoring compliance by the manufacturer and the distributor with the obligations of the measurement.
The text will now be examined in the Senate, then if the vote is favourable, this bill will be promulgated as State law by the President of the Republic and published in the Official Journal of Laws and Decrees.
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