As France Burns, Popular App Is At Center Stage For Fueling Youth Rioters - Lawmakers Push For Ban

This call comes in the wake of widespread riots in France, which the government has blamed on the platform. The riots resulted in hundreds of injured officers and over $1 billion in damages.

The French Senate Committee of Inquiry has released a 183-page report highlighting the health and psychological impact of TikTok's "extremely addictive algorithm" on French youth.

After conducting an investigation into the app's alleged data exploitation, influence strategies, propaganda, and disinformation, the senators have listed 21 recommendations in their report.

One of the key recommendations is to expand the ban on TikTok beyond French civil servants' phones and include employees in vital positions in sectors such as the military, energy, finance, transportation, and water management.

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The report also suggests the possibility of implementing time restrictions for young TikTok users in France, similar to China's restrictions on Douyin, the Chinese mainland version of TikTok.

The recent riots in France were triggered by the death of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk, who was shot and killed by a motorcycle officer during a traffic stop in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris.

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The unrest has resulted in over 3,600 detentions, with the average age of detainees being 17, according to France's Interior Ministry.

President Macron has accused social media platforms, particularly TikTok and Snapchat, of playing a significant role in encouraging copycat acts of violence.

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Prosecutors have alleged that many of the young people involved in the riots obtained information on how to obtain incendiary devices through social media.

While the violence has subsided in recent days, the damage caused by the riots is estimated to be over $1 billion. A fund set up for the officer involved in Merzouk's death has already raised more than $1 million, according to The Times of London.

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In addition to the ban, the French senators are demanding transparency from TikTok regarding its parent company ByteDance's shareholding and its "Clover Project," which involves storing European user data on European soil.

They argue that ByteDance and TikTok are heavily dependent on China in various aspects, including technology, capital, politics, and law. The senators believe there is a clash between TikTok's claims of transparency and its intention to maintain opacity.

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It remains to be seen whether President Macron will heed the calls to ban TikTok in France. The debate surrounding the platform's influence on youth and its ties to China continues, with lawmakers emphasizing the need to protect French society from potential harm.