France: A grieving French mother is calling for stronger regulation of social media, claiming her 15-year-old son was exposed to harmful online content that worsened his mental health and contributed to his suicide.

Emmanuelle Pouedras says her son, Clément, had been increasingly drawn into disturbing content generated by platform algorithms, particularly on TikTok, in the months before his death in Brittany in 2024. She and her husband are now pushing authorities to reopen the case, arguing that the role of major tech companies has never been fully examined.

The family has filed a legal complaint against TikTok, Meta and other platforms, accusing them of incitement to suicide, failure to protect minors, and obstructing access to user data. Their lawyer argues that Clément was repeatedly exposed to content encouraging self-harm, with little to no moderation.

Pouedras says the teenager’s TikTok feed was dominated by videos that echoed despair and worthlessness. Messages discovered later on his WhatsApp account also revealed cyberbullying, including hostile comments exchanged shortly before his death.

Despite repeated attempts, the family says they received only partial access to their son’s digital history, even though French data-protection rules entitle parents to such information after a minor’s death.

Pouedras was scheduled to meet President Emmanuel Macron in Saint-Malo to share her concerns as France debates tighter online safety rules for minors. Lawmakers are currently considering age-based restrictions, including a potential ban on social media accounts for children under 15 and a digital “curfew” for teens aged 15 to 18.

TikTok, in response to the allegations, said the platform prohibits content promoting suicide or self-harm and removes most such posts before they are reported. Meta, which owns Instagram and WhatsApp, has not publicly commented on the case.

The incident has intensified the national conversation about the mental health risks posed by unregulated algorithms. It comes as several countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia, weigh sweeping reforms on youth access to social media. Australia this week became the first nation to prohibit users under 16 from joining major platforms.

For Pouedras, stricter oversight cannot come soon enough. In a letter sent to the French president, she described her son as “another victim of social media,” urging the government to ensure no other family faces the same tragedy.