Why This Topic Landed in Japan

Regulating minors' social media use is a live debate in Japan too, so the difficulty of balancing "protecting children" against "freedom of expression and communication" resonates, especially with Australia's earlier attempt as a reference point. France's ruling underscored the legal fragility of a blanket ban and the privacy problems that come with age verification. Separately, news that a film with an all-transgender cast is struggling to secure funding — as its director, Lilly Wachowski, described — was received through the lens of a backlash against perceived "political correctness," and the two stories were discussed together under the theme of the limits of top-down protection and correctness.

Key Reaction Themes

  • Skepticism about the ban's effectiveness — "It had almost no effect in Australia and kids just went underground," and broad doubt that a blanket ban can work.
  • Protection vs. freedom and privacy — Some backed the child-protection intent; others warned that age verification means collecting everyone's personal data.
  • A cool-eyed take on the film's commercial prospects — "Considering audience demand, the studios' caution is rational," alongside comparisons to recent box-office flops.

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

France's under-15 social media ban struck down

A law banning under-15s from social media was ruled to violate freedom of expression and communication.

Sources: livedoor News, 2ch

Comments:

  • "There were human-rights groups opposing it during the Australia case too. Even if you do it, it's meaningless unless you clarify the goal and refine the method — in Australia it had almost no effect, and kids just went underground, which made it even worse…"
  • "Minors already have various restrictions as it is — how do they handle that side of things?"
  • "Regulate social media use by the elderly rather than the young"
  • "It may well be unconstitutional, but in terms of protecting children, a ban is the right answer"
  • "'Freedom of expression' sure is a convenient phrase"
  • "So the constitution overrode the law, huh"
  • "If Japan did it sloppily it'd probably be called unconstitutional too, but I doubt anyone would sue"
  • "Minors can't buy porn mags either — is that information control?"
  • "Right — if scientific evidence that social media is bad for minors could be established, it might be overturned"

An all-trans-cast film struggles for funding

Director Lilly Wachowski said an all-transgender-cast project is having trouble securing funding, sparking debate over the film's commercial viability.

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セクマイ(LGBTAPXDQQs)🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️トピックス
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『マトリックス』監督が激白！キャストが「全員トランスジェンダー」の新作、ハリウッドに出資拒否される - THR Japan hollywoodreporter.jp/movies/219533/

hollywoodreporter.jp『マトリックス』監督が激白！キャストが「全員トランスジェンダー」の新作、ハリウッドに出資拒否される - THR Japan映画『マトリックス』シリーズの共同監督リリー・ウォシャウスキーが、キャスト全員がトランスジェンダーの新作政治スリラー『The Hunted（原題）』の資金調達難航を激白した。
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Sources: THR Japan, 2ch

Comments:

  • "Well, obviously. Why did they even want to make it?"
  • "The script's probably boring too"
  • "The reason is probably just that it won't be a hit"
  • "They should just do it with their own money"
  • "After watching Disney's crushing flops, anyone would hesitate to invest in a trans film"
  • "If it's a diverse society, don't exclude men and women"
  • "If the Democrats take power, a political-correctness storm will blow in as a backlash to Trump, so pitch it again then and it'll go through"
  • "If anything, isn't the pushback growing because people are fed up with it?"