France may soon put an end to online anonymity, at least if the country’s Minister of Justice, Gérald Darmanin, gets his way. In an interview with Le Parisien earlier this week, Darmanin revealed that the government is preparing to revisit the debate on digital identity.
“In the coming weeks, we’ll take another look at anonymity on social networks,” he stated. “Let’s build on the proposal that MP Paul Midy introduced a few months ago, ensuring that every French citizen has a digital ID.”
The reasoning behind this push? According to Darmanin, such an identity system would allow authorities to track down offenders more efficiently.
Midy, a lawmaker from President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, has long advocated for a nationwide digital ID, aiming for full implementation by 2027. The National Assembly approved the proposal in October 2023. However, facing strong resistance, Midy withdrew a particularly controversial clause that would have completely ended online anonymity in France.
The initial plan proposed a third-party encrypted system that would keep users anonymous to the public while still revealing their identities to law enforcement when necessary. Midy argued that such a system would curb online violence and cyberbullying. He even likened it to vehicle license plates—visible to authorities but not necessarily to other drivers.
Despite Midy’s rationale, opposition to the idea came from across the political spectrum. Lawmakers from Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, Midy’s own Renaissance party, and various left-wing groups voiced concerns that it could violate both European Union privacy laws and France’s constitution.
Ségolène Amiot of La France Insoumise denounced the plan as oppressive, while the Socialist Party flatly rejected it as a “red line.” National Rally MP Aurélien Lopez-Liguori scoffed at the comparison to vehicle registration, declaring that “the French are neither cars nor prisoners.” Even within Macron’s ruling coalition, dissent emerged—MoDem MP Philippe Latombe dismissed the proposal as legally baseless and accused Midy of seeking attention.
Despite this resistance, Midy still managed to garner support from 125 members of the National Assembly. He insists that the critics are out of touch with public opinion. In March 2024, he cited a survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of France’s Association for the Digital Economy. The results? A striking 87% of French citizens reportedly back a mandatory digital ID to combat cyberbullying, scams, and disinformation. Furthermore, 81% of respondents said they would accept verifying their own identity online.
For Darmanin, the issue is non-negotiable. “At the Ministry of Justice, we believe ending online anonymity is essential in tackling pedophilia, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, and other digital crimes,” he declared. “Why should social networks be the only space where free speech exists outside the law? A huge portion of crime now happens online, and the Internet must stop being a lawless zone.”
Yet, not all government officials are on board. Marina Ferrari, France’s Secretary of State for Digital Affairs, made it clear last year that the administration isn’t planning to enforce universal digital identity requirements. “There are ways to strengthen online verification without mandating a system that could make every citizen’s opinions and views traceable,” she cautioned.
With opposition still firmly in place, the big question remains: How does the Ministry of Justice plan to push this controversial policy forward?
