World: The French government has passed a new law aimed at safeguarding the online privacy of children, which prohibits parents from sharing pictures of their kids on the internet without their consent.
French legislators have passed a new law aimed at safeguarding the privacy of children on the internet. Under the new legislation, parents are prohibited from sharing images of their children online without their explicit consent.
The bill presented by MP Bruno Studer aims to educate and empower parents to respect young people’s right to control their image.
French National Assembly unanimously approved a measure highlighted by Studer on the exploitation of approximately 1,300 online images of an average 13-year-old, contributing to child pornography and school bullying.
He revealed that half of the photos traded on child pornography sites were initially posted by parents on social media. While some experts have commended the new law for moving in the right direction, others argue that it falls short.
According to Thomas Rohmer, the director and founder of l’Observatoire de la Parentalité et de l’Éducation Numérique, the law addresses image rights but overlooks the issue of children’s dignity.
Rohmer pointed out how parents who are influencers make money by humiliating their infants, like throwing food in their faces, as an instance of behavior lacking dignity.
Vanessa Lalo, a clinical psychologist, warned that scaring or playing pranks on children can cause them to feel betrayed and distrustful towards adults. The newly passed law is a step towards protecting the online privacy and dignity of children.
