French authorities have launched a sweeping investigation into TikTok, the popular video-sharing platform owned by China-based ByteDance, over allegations that its algorithms and content moderation practices may be endangering the mental health of young users, particularly by exposing them to suicide-related material. The probe, announced by the Paris prosecutor’s office on November 4, 2025, comes amid mounting concerns from lawmakers, bereaved families, and advocacy groups about the psychological impact of social media on minors.
This investigation follows a series of troubling events and reports, including a 2024 lawsuit filed by seven French families against TikTok France. Two of these families suffered the devastating loss of a child, with one case involving 15-year-old Marie Le Tiec. After her death, her mother, Stephanie Mistre, discovered that Marie had been repeatedly exposed to videos promoting suicide methods and tutorials, along with comments urging users to escalate from attempts to final acts. "They normalized depression and self-harm, turning it into a twisted sense of belonging," Mistre told the Associated Press.
French prosecutors are now examining whether TikTok’s content recommendation algorithms and moderation systems are adequately protecting minors from harmful material and whether the company has fulfilled its legal obligations to report suspected offenses. The Paris police cybercrime brigade is leading the inquiry, specifically investigating possible crimes such as "propaganda for products or methods ... used to take one’s life" and facilitating illicit transactions linked to organized crime. If the investigation results in charges and convictions, individuals found guilty could face several years in prison and substantial fines—up to three years’ imprisonment and 45,000 euros for suicide-related propaganda, and up to ten years’ imprisonment and a 1 million euro fine for enabling illegal transactions by organized gangs, according to the Global Banking and Finance Review and AFP.
The investigation was triggered by a parliamentary committee’s request for a criminal inquiry. The committee, chaired by Socialist lawmaker Arthur Delaporte, has been scrutinizing TikTok’s impact on youth for months. Delaporte has voiced particular concern about the platform’s algorithmic systems, warning that they may "push the most vulnerable toward suicide." The committee’s September 2025 recommendations called for a ban on social media use for children under fifteen and the implementation of digital curfews for teenagers aged fifteen to eighteen.
In its statement, the Paris prosecutor’s office explained that the probe will delve into "content consisting notably of the promotion of suicide" and TikTok’s compliance with obligations to notify authorities of infractions committed by intermediaries. The prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, emphasized that the investigation responds not only to the families’ lawsuit but also to findings from a 2023 French Senate report on risks involving freedom of expression, data collection, and offensive algorithms, as well as a 2023 Amnesty International report warning that TikTok’s algorithms are addictive and pose self-harm risks among young people. A February 2025 report by French state agency Viginum, which tracks foreign digital interference, also raised alarms that public opinion could be manipulated in elections through platforms like TikTok.
TikTok, for its part, has strenuously denied the allegations. In a statement provided to several news outlets, including Reuters and AFP, the company said, "We strongly refute the accusations and legal grounds referred to in the press release of the Paris prosecutor and will vigorously defend our record." TikTok highlighted its purported commitment to user safety, claiming it offers "more than 50 pre-set features and settings designed specifically to support the safety and well-being of teens, and 9 in 10 violative videos removed before they’re ever viewed." A TikTok spokesperson also stated in September, "We categorically reject the deceptive presentation" by French MPs, arguing that the company is being made a "scapegoat" for wider societal problems.
Despite these assertions, the parliamentary committee’s September report accused TikTok of "insufficient moderation," making the app easily accessible to minors, and deploying a sophisticated algorithm that could "trap vulnerable individuals toward suicide by quickly trapping them in a loop of dedicated content." The committee’s chairman asserted on September 11 that TikTok had deliberately endangered the health and lives of its users, prompting the referral of the matter to the courts.
The regulatory scrutiny in France is part of a broader wave of investigations and lawsuits targeting social media platforms, both in Europe and the United States. According to Reuters, social media companies have faced numerous lawsuits in the U.S. as well, alleging that their algorithms have contributed to mental health crises among teenagers. European authorities, meanwhile, have increasingly focused on the responsibilities of digital platforms to protect younger users from potentially harmful content distributed through algorithmic recommendation systems.
Lawmakers and regulators are now grappling with the challenge of balancing digital innovation with child protection imperatives. The French parliamentary committee has recommended strong measures, such as banning social media for children under 15 and imposing digital curfews for older minors, to help mitigate the risks. The ongoing investigation will assess whether TikTok has complied with French digital safety regulations and whether its platform has become a conduit for illegal activity or harmful psychological influence among minors.
For TikTok, which boasts over 1.5 billion users globally, the stakes are high. The platform has already faced criticism in Western countries over content that allegedly encourages self-harm, unhealthy body images, and even acts as a vector for foreign political interference. The outcome of the French investigation could set precedents for how social media companies are held accountable for the mental health and safety of their youngest users—not only in France, but across Europe and beyond.
As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the French courts will weigh the evidence and where the line will be drawn between platform innovation and the duty of care owed to vulnerable populations. For families like that of Marie Le Tiec, the hope is that greater scrutiny will lead to meaningful change—and prevent further tragedies.
For those struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. In the United States, the national suicide and crisis lifeline can be reached by calling or texting 988, or through online chat at 988lifeline.org. International helplines can be found at www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts.
