FantomApp: The CNIL mobile app helps 10- to 15-year-olds to protect themselves on social media
16 December 2025
The CNIL continues its work with young audiences by providing FantomApp for 10- to 15-year-olds. This mobile app is designed to help teenagers protect their social media data.
The CNIL’s first app to help teenagers protect their data on social media
To support 10- to 15-year-olds in using social media more safely and wisely, the CNIL has launched an app called “FantomApp”.
and directly from its web version: fantomapp.org
Based on a survey conducted in several secondary schools (summarised in the dossier “Numérique Adolescent et vie privée”), FantomApp meets the young people's needs in terms of protecting their personal data and understanding their rights, particulary the right to have data concerning them deleted.
Middle schoolers were involved in the project throughout its development. This collaborative approach resulted in the design of an application that was truly conceived by and for young people. FantomApp builds on their practices and leverages their own digital skills to help them develop the right reflexes.
The workshops emphasised the importance of having simple tools to protect privacy on social media, a better understanding of visibility settings, and the ability to quickly identify the right contacts in case of a problem.
79%
of children have access to a mobile phone before the age of 11
FantomApp: practical tools to maintain control over your data
Workshops organised with pupils helped to structure the app around three main features:
- essential information and trusted contacts to deal with problematic online situations such as: cyberbullying, data or account theft, attempted scams, sexual blackmail, and to help them exercise their rights.
- simple and effective tools to secure their digital practices such as: blurring photos, testing password strength, analysing the visibility level of pseudonyms.
- guided tutorials designed to help young people secure their accounts and protect their privacy (e.g. knowing which settings to disable or enable).
The application presents the rights provided for by the GDPR in an accessible and practical manner, offering concrete ways to take action such as requesting the deletion of content or objecting to certain uses. If their rights have not been respected, they can lodge a complaint with the CNIL using a form specifically designed for minors.
FantomApp does not collect any data (except for the IP address, which is necessary for the application to function, and the type of device used).
An application with a European dimension
The FantomApp was funded by the European Union as part of the programme Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV). Eight European data protection authorities have expressed interest and supported the project.
The content of the FantomApp application will be translated and adapted into the languages of partner countries, enabling as many young Europeans as possible to protect their privacy more effectively:
- The Data Protection Commission (Irish Data Protection Authority)
- Commission nationale de protection des données (Grand-Duché of Luxembourg)
- UODO (Polish Data Protection Authority)
- Datatilsynet (Norwegian Data Protection Authority)
- Data Protection Authority of Hungary
- Hellenic Data Protection Authority (Greek Data Protection Authority)
- Generalitat of Catalonia
- With the support of the Council of Europe and the AFCDP
