Among the priority measures is the establishment of a portal for receiving reports of misconduct in the digital space, replacing the current system which is considered fragmented and ineffective.
In response to the increasing presence of controversial and potentially risky content on digital platforms, the French government is preparing to implement further measures to strengthen control over the activities of influencers.
More than two years after the enactment of the Law on the Management of Influencers, French officials believe that the document has revealed limitations in the face of new phenomena such as the business of offering training courses on extremist gender ideologies, live broadcasts encouraging excessive spending, and disguised forms of prostitution. Based on this reality, the French Ministry of Economy and Finance announced that it will soon finalize some of the proposals outlined in the parliamentary report published on January 12th.
Anne Le Hénanff, Secretary of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technology, said a new roadmap of action would be announced soon. These measures are based on a report co-authored by MP Arthur Delaporte and former MP Stéphane Vojetta, which presents 78 recommendations for better regulation of the activities of online influencers.
According to Ms. Le Hénanff, not all of these recommendations will be implemented immediately, but some have been approved by the Government and will be "implemented soon in the coming weeks."
Both the report's authors and the government agree that "the space for influencing behavior is constantly evolving," as negative behaviors can quickly shift from one platform to another, or from one feature to a new form, requiring regulators to respond promptly.
Among the priority measures is the establishment of a portal for receiving reports of misconduct in the digital space, replacing the current system which is considered fragmented and ineffective.
In addition, the government plans to establish an inter-ministerial monitoring mechanism to promptly detect content trends that may have a negative impact from social media and online platforms.
Another notable proposal is the creation of a public registry of companies and individuals acting as intermediaries managing influencers, provided they are licensed to practice.
Ms. Le Hénanff expressed particular concern about the activities of some intermediaries on the OnlyFans platform, arguing that these forms of organization and operation show signs of "digital prostitution."
The French government also plans to strengthen the investigative and administrative inspection powers of regulatory bodies, including Arcom – the agency regulating audiovisual and digital media. While not giving specific figures on additional resources, Mr. Delaporte estimated that Arcom needs around 50 more personnel, and that the DGCCRF – the agency protecting consumers and combating fraud – also needs a significant increase in staff.
Furthermore, the French government is also considering establishing a transparent set of rules to regulate promotional collaborations between influencers and public authorities, in light of the increasing number of social media celebrities participating in state-sponsored media campaigns.
Another focus is tightening regulations on monetization practices in online video games, especially on platforms with a large user base of children aged 7-8.
According to Secretary of State Le Hénanff, France will raise this issue for discussion at the European level within the framework of a bill on consumer protection in the digital environment, while emphasizing the need for strict control over artificial intelligence-generated tools, similar to the approach taken with social media.
In the long term, many of the recommendations in the aforementioned parliamentary report could be incorporated into other bills related to protecting children in cyberspace.
Among the strongest proposals is a temporary suspension of online shopping functionality on the TikTok platform, due to allegedly serious shortcomings, as well as a requirement for influencers to exclude minors when promoting products prohibited for sale to those under 18.