French judicial authorities announced they have launched an investigation into the Chinese social media platform TikTok over concerns that its algorithms may encourage young people to commit suicide. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the investigation follows a request from a French parliamentary committee to open a criminal inquiry into TikTok’s potential role in endangering the lives of minors. The committee aimed to study TikTok’s psychological impact on youth after seven families filed a 2024 lawsuit claiming the platform exposed their children to content that encouraged suicidal behavior. Similar lawsuits in the United States have accused social media platforms of contributing to mental health issues among teenagers through their algorithms.

Beccuau highlighted that the committee’s report pointed to “insufficient moderation, easy access for minors, and a sophisticated algorithm that could trap vulnerable users in a loop of harmful content,” potentially pushing them toward suicide. A TikTok spokesperson told Reuters that the company “strongly refutes the accusations” and will defend its record. TikTok emphasized that it has “more than 50 features and settings aimed at teen safety, and removes nine out of ten violative videos before they are viewed,” investing heavily in age-appropriate content.

The Paris police cybercrime unit will investigate the alleged offense of providing a platform for “propaganda promoting products, objects, or methods as means of committing suicide,” punishable by up to three years in prison. The parliamentary committee previously stated that TikTok had deliberately endangered the health and lives of young users and referred the case to the court. TikTok rejected the committee’s claims, describing them as misleading and arguing that the issues are industry-wide, not specific to the company.

The prosecutor’s office said the inquiry will also consider a 2023 Senate report on risks related to freedom of expression, data collection, and algorithmic content, a 2023 Amnesty International report warning that TikTok’s algorithms are addictive and may pose self-harm risks, and a 2025 report by the French state agency Viginum highlighting potential manipulation of public opinion during elections.