French Prime Minister requests social media blackout readiness

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has issued a letter to the country’s four major mobile operators—Orange, SFR, Free, and Bouygues Telecom—requesting they prepare for temporary access disruptions to specific social media platforms. The request aimed to enable the blocking of TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and X during periods of civil unrest.

The government stated these platforms were being used to coordinate violence, looting, and the sharing of police data. While technical preparations for domain filtering were requested, no actual shutdowns were implemented during the recent demonstrations.

Telecommunications providers expressed reservations regarding the request, noting that such a blockade might be ineffective as users can bypass restrictions using VPNs or alternative messaging services. This follows a previous instance in May 2024, when TikTok was blocked in New Caledonia, a move that faced legal challenges.