Better Internet for Kids

Here, we take an in-depth look at the latest monitoring information for France.

According to the Digital Decade 2025: Country reports, France’s digital landscape is defined by high-quality infrastructure, though with lagging digital integration of its business sector. While the country has achieved impressive connectivity – reaching 88% coverage for Very High-Capacity Networks and fibre-to-the-premises, alongside 94% 5G coverage – small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continue to trail the EU average in digital intensity. Artificial Intelligence adoption among French firms nearly doubled to 9.9% in 2024, yet it remains notably below the broader European average. On the human capital side, 59.7% of French citizens possess basic digital skills, exceeding the EU average. However, significant demographic divides persist: digital skills are higher among the young and highly educated than among seniors and those with less formal education. According to the State of the Digital Decade Eurobarometer 2025, public sentiment remains supportive of the digital transition, with high demand for state action against disinformation and cyberbullying. France has notably promoted child online protection by proposing higher age limits or outright restrictions on social media platforms.

Read the full Policy monitor country profile for detailed information on key national policy frameworks in France.

Read the full 2026 edition of the Policy monitor report.[BON1] 

BIK policies

This concerns how national-level policies relevant to the BIK agenda are organised, managed, and supported by evidence and stakeholder input.

Policy frameworks

Policy frameworks describe the overarching goals that shape policies for a better internet for kids. 

In France:

• This topic is an important and emerging policy priority partially covered in national/regional laws, regulations and policies.
• There are separate, dedicated policies which address the topic of children and the digital environment (protection, empowerment, and participation).
• The BIK+ strategy informs national policies but is not the main influence.
• National/regional policies and policy documents explicitly recognise children's rights in the digital environment.

Policy design

Policy design asks whether evidence and research support BIK-related policies and whether systems are in place for monitoring and evaluating those policies.

In France:

• Surveys of children’s digital activities are undertaken, but only irregularly (for instance, the EU Kids Online survey data from 2020 is the only available source on a national level).
• Surveys of risks, harms and digital well-being are undertaken on an ad-hoc and irregular basis.
• Information is regularly gathered to inform policies on children and the digital environment. However, this relies primarily on third-party sources, and there are limited opportunities to commission new data on children's digital activity.
• There are occasional special initiatives to gather evidence about children and the digital environment 
• Policies are regularly monitored and evaluated, but not always systematically.

Policy governance

Policy governance examines how policies are coordinated at the governmental level, whether other implementation bodies are involved in their delivery and coordination.

In France:

• Policy development sits across different ministries with leadership officially distributed according to the area of specialisation.
• Coordination occurs across relevant departments and stakeholders through more informal arrangements. While lacking a centralised coordination body, this approach still facilitates reasonably effective collaboration and alignment of efforts.
• One or more programmes of action is/are underway supporting children’s online safety and participation in the digital environment. However, these lack accountabilities, such as defined timelines, assigned responsibilities or key performance indicators (KPIs).

Stakeholder involvement

Stakeholder involvement enquires how different stakeholders can participate in policy development.

In France:

• A formal, designated multi-stakeholder forum is in place that consistently engages all relevant stakeholder groups (e.g., government, civil society, private sector, academia, children, and caregivers) and plays a meaningful role in policy discussion and development.
• Public consultation occurs, but it is irregular, infrequent, or limited in scope.
• Children are listened to directly in the policy development process but are not formally involved in decision-making.

Read the full Policy monitor country profile for detailed information on key national policy frameworks in France.

Read the full 2026 edition of the Policy monitor report.[BON2] 

BIK+ actions

Pillar 1 – safe digital experiences

Safe digital experiences refer to actions taken to protect children from harmful and illegal online content, conduct, contact, and risks as young consumers and to improve their well-being online through a safe, age-appropriate digital environment created in a way that respects children’s best interests.

Table 1: Safe digital experiences – France

Pillar 2 – Digital empowerment

Digital empowerment involves actions that ensure all children, including those in vulnerable situations, acquire the necessary skills and competences to make sound choices and to express themselves safely and responsibly in the online environment.

Table 2: Digital empowerment – France

Pillar 3 – Active participation, respecting children’s rights

This includes actions that promote young people's active participation and respect for their rights through such activities as fostering innovative and creative safe digital experiences for young people and ensuring they have a say in policies governing the digital environment.

Table 3: Active participation, respecting rights – France

Read the full Policy monitor country profile for detailed information on key national policy frameworks in France.

Read the full 2026 edition of the Policy monitor report.[BON3] 

BIK+ index 2026: France

The BIK+ index has been developed to provide an aggregated at-a-glance overview of the levels of implementation across the two dimensions, BIK policies and BIK+ actions, in France compared to the EU27+2 average. Values are shown in per cent.

Figure 1: BIK+ index 2026: France - EU27+2 average comparison

Please note, the data used in this page and the corresponding country profile was collected in January 2026.