French authorities have opened a criminal investigation into TikTok amid allegations that the social media platform hosts and promotes content encouraging suicide, particularly among young users. The probe, announced by the Paris prosecutor’s office, will also examine whether TikTok failed to comply with legal obligations to report illegal activity.
The inquiry follows a series of alarming reports and lawsuits accusing TikTok of harming children’s mental health. Several French families have taken legal action against the company, claiming the platform’s algorithm exposed their children to dangerous content. The French Senate and Amnesty International have both raised similar concerns in recent months, warning that the app’s design could amplify harmful material and place vulnerable users at risk.
In its statement, the prosecutor’s office said investigators will look into “content consisting notably of the promotion of suicide” and determine whether TikTok “respected obligations to notify authorities of infractions committed by intermediaries.” The investigation will be led by the Paris police cybercrime brigade, which will assess possible offenses including “propaganda for products or methods used to take one’s life” and the facilitation of illicit transactions linked to organised crime.
TikTok has rejected the allegations. In a statement on Tuesday, the company said it invests heavily in user safety, particularly for minors. “With more than 50 pre-set features and settings designed specifically to support the safety and well-being of teens, and nine in 10 violative videos removed before they’re ever viewed, we invest heavily in safe and age-appropriate teen experiences,” TikTok said.
The investigation comes after seven French families sued TikTok France last year, alleging that the company failed to moderate harmful content. Two of the families lost their children after they were exposed to videos promoting suicide and self-harm.
One of the victims, 15-year-old Marie Le Tiec, was found dead after repeatedly viewing distressing material on the platform. Her mother, Stéphanie Mistre, said she later discovered her daughter’s phone filled with videos that “normalised depression and self-harm, turning it into a twisted sense of belonging.” She accused TikTok’s algorithm of persistently pushing such content to her daughter’s feed.
TikTok and other social media platforms have faced global criticism for allegedly encouraging bullying, self-harm, and violence among young users. Governments in Europe and beyond are now reassessing how to regulate these platforms to protect children’s mental health.
If the French investigation results in charges and convictions, those found guilty could face several years in prison and subs
