Television programs must adhere to strict regulations on violent and shocking content, yet some images can still upset viewers. This issue is even more prevalent online, where unregulated content proliferates. Public authorities offer reliable reporting services to address offensive material effectively.
The internet champions freedom of expression, but it must respect individual rights regardless of age, origin, or beliefs.
Sites, blogs, forums, and platforms often host violent, shocking, or illegal content, including child exploitation, hate speech, homophobia, denial of crimes against humanity, animal cruelty, or terrorism promotion—all punishable under French law.
Most social networks provide reporting tools to flag and remove unlawful material.
French authorities operate the Pharos platform (www.internet-signalement.gouv.fr), a secure system for reporting illegal public content anonymously or identified. Only your IP address is collected.
Managed by the Central Office for the Fight against Cybercrime (under the Judicial Police and National Police), reports are reviewed by specialized gendarmes or officers. Valid cases trigger investigations; international content is forwarded via Interpol.
Additionally, a Europe-wide professional network enables reporting via online forms, apps, or browser extensions.
TV channels face stringent rules, with age warnings via logos in the bottom right or specific time slots.
Logos like "-10" or "-12" signal recurrent violence (or cinema bans for under-10s/12s); "-16" indicates eroticism or intense violence; "-18" denotes pornography or extreme violence.
Viewers are pre-warned, but if content seems excessively violent or mislabeled, report it to the Superior Council of Audiovisual (CSA) via their website. This covers radio, replay services, and on-demand video too.
