Student protests in France have expanded to multiple cities, with demonstrations, road blockages, and large gatherings taking place as students, university pupils, and labor unions criticize current study conditions and call for more resources. The movement has sparked tensions between protesters and law enforcement, resulting in the detention of over 6,800 high school students, most of whom are minors. In the past two weeks, more than 715 police officers and 215 students have been injured, and 18 investigations have been launched by the IGPN, France’s independent police oversight body. Videos showing police actions, arrests, or injuries to young people during the demonstrations are shared almost in real time on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X. Some of these clips have gone viral, such as a September 29 video showing a 14-year-old boy being struck multiple times by officers and then shot in the jaw with a "Cougar" grenade launcher at point-blank range. Another widely shared clip from October 5 showed a young girl being restrained by a police officer who touched her hair and chest, while a video from October 8 depicted a police officer delivering a forceful knee strike to a demonstrator's head. Virginie Bensoussan-Brulé, a lawyer at the Paris court of appeal and director of the digital litigation department at Lexing Avocats, explains that while sharing videos of violent scenes on social media is not inherently illegal, there are limits based on the nature of the violence, how the video was recorded, and the context of its publication. Article 222-33-3 of the French Penal Code regulates the recording of images related to offenses that harm a person’s physical or mental well-being, such as beatings or sexual violence. Deliberately recording and distributing such violence can be considered an act of complicity, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros. Exceptions exist, such as when the recording is part of a journalist’s professional duty or used to report on public interest issues. However, if a video is recorded without the intent to inform or document an event, such as a teenager capturing an altercation while filming a demonstration, the legal consequences can be serious. The law treats the act of recording and distributing violent content as a separate offense, with stricter penalties for minors. Those aged 13 to 18 face reduced sentences and capped fines, while those under 13 are not subject to prison time or fines. The law also penalizes the dissemination of violent content if it is likely to be seen by minors, under Article 227-24 of the Penal Code. This applies not only to the person who filmed the content but also to those who share it, even if they did not create the video. Republishing a video can be considered a new act of distribution, and even a comment or like could lead to legal consequences if it includes threats or calls for violence. The legal framework leaves some areas unclear, particularly when it comes to live streaming, which may fall into a legal gray area. Nonetheless, the law emphasizes that while freedom of expression is protected, it does not allow individuals to bypass legal boundaries.