France proposes one-hour deadline for removing content inciting violence online
A proposed amendment to France’s public-order legislation would require social media platforms and hosting providers to remove certain content within one hour or face possible website blocking and search engine delisting. The proposal follows reports that the government had privately asked telecom operators to prepare DNS-based restrictions on major social media platforms during protests.
The French government has proposed new powers allowing authorities to order social media platforms and hosting providers to remove online content explicitly inciting or glorifying certain offences involving insurrection, attacks or taking up arms against the state or parts of the population.
Under Amendment No. 94, submitted to the Senate on 26 October, platforms would have one hour to comply with a removal order. If they failed to do so, authorities could initiate procedures to block access to the website and remove it from search engine results without prior judicial authorisation. The proposal would extend an expedited removal mechanism already used for terrorist content to additional categories of offences.
The amendment also provides for a separate 24-hour removal deadline for content directly inciting violent crimes where there is a threat of serious public disorder. The Senate began examining the wider public-order legislation on 27 October.
The proposal follows reports that the Prime Minister’s office had privately contacted France’s largest telecommunications operators to prepare temporary restrictions on social media platforms. According to La Tribune, citing documents obtained by investigative outlet Blast, a confidential letter sent on 22 October asked Orange, SFR, Free and Bouygues Telecom to prepare DNS-based restrictions on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. X was subsequently added to the list.
The requested preparations concerned possible restrictions on 4G and 5G networks in specific geographic areas if demonstrations planned for 24 October turned violent. The government reportedly sought to preserve fixed-line internet access where possible. The restrictions were ultimately not activated.
Telecommunications operators reportedly questioned whether geographically targeted DNS filtering could be implemented at short notice. They also raised concerns that users could circumvent restrictions through virtual private networks (VPNs) and alternative DNS resolvers.
DNS filtering restricts access by interfering with the process through which domain names are translated into network addresses. However, it does not necessarily prevent access when users rely on alternative resolution services or encrypted connections.
The developments have renewed debate over the legal basis for government-ordered internet restrictions in France. In April 2025, the Conseil d’État ruled that the government’s 2024 suspension of TikTok during unrest in New Caledonia was unlawful.
The proposed amendment would establish a statutory procedure for administrative intervention against specified categories of online content. However, it remains under parliamentary consideration, and its final provisions have yet to be determined.
