French Digital Minister Clara Chappaz admitted on Friday that children can still access pornography by using VPN software, but stressed that age verification laws are still effective in limiting underage access to adult content.
Speaking on the sidelines of the EU Telecom Council meeting, Chappaz told Euractiv that while no system is perfect, the French law has made it significantly harder for minors to reach pornographic material online.
“There will always be a way to bypass restrictions,” she said, referring to VPN use. “But the law makes it much harder. Psychologically, it puts children in the position of being a victim.”
Last week, three major pornographic websites—including Pornhub—blocked access to users in France after failing to comply with the country’s age verification requirements. In response, Swiss privacy software company Proton reported a surge in VPN usage in France, likely as users tried to get around the blocks.
VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) let users mask their location by encrypting their internet connection, making it appear as though they are browsing from another country.
Chappaz emphasized that trying to bypass the block remains illegal and said the shift in how the issue is being handled is critical. “It changes the way the problem is getting addressed, and that’s super important,” she said.
Under French law, all pornographic websites—local or global—must implement systems to verify users’ ages before showing any adult content. “The law is very clear for porn websites,” said Chappaz. “It’s their responsibility to comply.”
She compared the current efforts to nightclub entry rules. “What we want now is not just to put up a door and ask kids not to enter. We want someone at the door checking ages,” she said.
France’s media regulator ARCOM has issued guidelines for acceptable age verification tools. One approved example is the AgeVerif app, which Chappaz demonstrated. The app is already used by the French adult site Pornovere.
Looking ahead, France plans to go further in protecting minors online. Chappaz confirmed that the government will advocate for a ban on social media use for children under the age of 15.
“We will continue to work on this topic,” she said.
