In France, the question of screens in families has long revolved around the time spent in front of a tablet or a phone. The landscape has changed. The arrival of generative artificial intelligence in households, the tightening legislative framework, and the emotional uses that children develop with certain digital tools require a rethink of how a family organizes its connected life.
Generative AI in Families: Uses That Go Beyond Homework Help
Digital parenting guides still focus on social networks, video games, and screen time control. They overlook a recent phenomenon. In 2025, 44% of adults had already used a generative AI tool in their daily lives, with private use exceeding professional use (26% to 22%).
This gap is also found among children. A survey published in the summer of 2026 indicates that nearly 4 out of 10 parents report that their child uses AI tools to chat or seek emotional support, not just for school-related questions. AI is becoming a conversational partner, sometimes a confidant.
This dimension of “emotional companion” raises questions that traditional parental filters do not cover. Parental control blocks a site or limits connection time, but it does not detect the nature of a conversation with a chatbot. For families, several resources allow them to track these developments, such as the site familles-connectees.com to discover among publications specifically addressing these new uses.
Mandatory Parental Control on New Devices: What the Law Requires Since 2024
Since July 13, 2024, under the law of March 2, 2022 known as the “Studer Law” and its implementing decree of 2023, all smartphones, tablets, computers, and consoles sold in France must integrate a pre-installed, free, and activatable parental control system from the first setup.
Specifically, during the initial setup of a new device, the user is prompted to activate this control. No additional downloads are required. The manufacturer must integrate the functionality directly into the operating system.
Field feedback varies on the actual effectiveness of the system. Manufacturers apply the law with very different levels of granularity. Some offer fine filtering by application and time slot, while others limit themselves to a global block of content categories. The law establishes an obligation to deliver results (to offer parental control), but the level of protection varies from one device to another.
Concrete Limitations of Pre-installed Control
- Filtering does not cover conversations within encrypted messaging apps, which remain inaccessible to the parental system
- Browsers integrated into certain applications (games, social networks) sometimes bypass the main browser’s filter
- A child with a second unconfigured device (a friend’s tablet, an old phone) escapes the control perimeter
The law serves as a foundation, not a complete solution. It does not replace regular discussions about the content being accessed.
Ban on Social Networks for Under 15s: A Framework Voted Then Censored
France voted in 2024 on a law banning access to social networks for minors under 15 years old. The text provided for age verification imposed on platforms, with an obligation to block account creation without verifiable parental consent.
In August 2026, the Constitutional Council censored this measure, deeming the age verification system too intrusive regarding individual freedoms. The ban is therefore no longer applicable as it stands.
This turnaround leaves families in an ambiguous situation. The e-Enfance association welcomed the existence of the text, stating that it created “a very important social norm” even without effective application. However, platforms no longer have a legal obligation to verify the age of their users in France, which shifts the responsibility back to parents.
What This Changes for Families on a Daily Basis
Without a mandatory age verification mechanism imposed on platforms, regulation of access to social networks relies on the household. It is worth noting that according to Arcom, 44% of adolescents were already accessing social networks before the age of 13, even before any legislative attempts.
Waiting for a perfect technical or regulatory solution does not protect a child who already has an account. Families that achieve concrete results generally combine several approaches.
- Delaying the handover of the first personal smartphone until after starting middle school, using a basic phone for connectivity
- Setting up the first account on a social network together, explaining the privacy settings line by line
- Agreeing on a daily “open phone” slot where the child shows what they have seen or posted, without it feeling like an inspection
Children’s Screen Time: Recommendations Are Evolving Too
The debate on screen time remains lively, but positions are shifting. American pediatricians have recently revised their approach, moving away from strict hourly thresholds to favor a qualitative assessment of usage. The question is no longer solely “how much time” but “for what purpose and in what emotional state”.
A child who spends forty minutes coding a small program or video chatting with a grandparent does not engage the same circuits as a child who passively scrolls through short videos. The nature of the activity matters as much as its duration.
Some families in Châteauroux, interviewed by local press, describe home rules that work better than blanket prohibitions: no phones at the table, no screens in the bedroom after a certain hour, and especially regular shared use where the adult participates in the child’s digital activity.
The French regulatory framework continues to seek a balance between prohibition and education. The tools exist, the law lays the groundwork, but no technical device replaces regular conversation within the household about what everyone is doing online and why.