The Miel Abitbol case (known by the username Miel Abt) brings together several legal and media dimensions that are rarely untangled in mainstream coverage. Revenge porn suffered at school, legal proceedings still pending several years after the events, and the growing prominence of advocacy around young people’s mental health: each stage has prompted public reactions whose impact extends beyond the individual case.
The criminal classification of revenge porn and procedural limitations in the Miel Abitbol case
Under French law, sharing intimate images without consent is a specific criminal offense. In Miel Abitbol’s case, the events date back to her middle-school years in Saint-Cloud, when she was around 12–13 years old. The case is complicated by the fact that the victim was a minor at the time, which affects the legal classification and makes the statute of limitations more complex.
What stands out to digital law practitioners is that no final judicial resolution has been reached several years after the incident was reported. As Marie Claire France noted, nearly six years after the events, Miel Abitbol has still not obtained justice. This delay illustrates the procedural backlogs often seen in cyberviolence cases involving minors.
The school was criticized for its inaction. Miel Abitbol said publicly that “the school swept the issue under the rug,” raising questions about schools’ responsibility to report offenses committed between students. Schools are required to report such cases to the public prosecutor, but this obligation is not applied consistently.
We have seen how reactions to the Miel Abt leak have reignited debate about the effectiveness of internal reporting systems in middle and high schools.
Timeline of the Miel Abt scandal: from school bullying to speaking out publicly
The events unfolded over several years. Reconstructing the timeline helps explain why the debate remains heated in 2026.
- At around 12–13 years old, Miel Abitbol experienced school bullying and revenge porn at her middle school in Saint-Cloud. Intimate images were shared among students without her consent.
- This was followed by depression, eating disorders and a suicide attempt, as she described in several public accounts (Lumni, Gu’Live).
- At the same time, she built a presence on TikTok and other social media platforms, amassing more than 2.5 million followers across platforms, including 1.8 million on TikTok.
- In September 2024, at age 17, she co-founded the app Lyynk with her father, Guirchaume, and psychiatrist Claire Morin. The app focuses on young people’s mental health.
- In 2025–2026, her account gained widespread attention through video interviews, Lumni Instagram posts and coverage by Marie Claire France, fueling parliamentary debate about digital violence.
What sets this case apart from other high-profile revenge porn cases is how long the victim has been in the public eye. Miel Abitbol began posting content on social media at just 10 years old. This early exposure to the digital world amplified both her vulnerability and her later ability to advocate for change.
Proposed law against sexual violence and the legislative context in 2026
Miel Abitbol’s account comes amid a changing legislative landscape. In October 2026, the National Assembly passed a bill against sexual and gender-based violence at first reading. The bill provides for a minimum set of investigative measures and the right to request the removal of intimate content shared without consent.
The bill goes beyond conventional revenge porn. It also targets fabricated or manipulated content, including sexually explicit deepfakes, broadening the scope of protection.
However, it is important to distinguish between what has been passed and what is currently in force. The bill has not been definitively adopted: it must still go before the Senate and may be subject to a compromise in a joint committee. For now, the applicable law remains the existing French Criminal Code.
Social media ban for minors: the constitutional setback that changes the picture
Another focus of the debate is minors’ access to social media. The proposed ban for under-15s, backed by political leaders in France, suffered a constitutional setback in 2026. The Constitutional Council struck down the ban, ruling that the restriction was disproportionate in light of freedom of expression.
At both European and national levels, the legal boundary between protecting minors and censorship remains unsettled.
This context is directly relevant to the Miel Abitbol case. Had a strict ban been in place, her early exposure to social media would not have happened under the same circumstances. The debate keeps circling back to the same question: should minors be protected by excluding them from platforms, or should penalties be strengthened for those who exploit their online presence?
Lyynk and young people’s mental health: turning the aftermath of a scandal into advocacy
Launched in September 2024, the Lyynk app is Miel Abitbol’s practical response to her own experience. Developed with psychiatrist Claire Morin, it focuses on the mental health of young social media users. It is positioned as a tool for prevention and connection, not as a substitute for therapy.
One point of debate in the mental health field is whether a minor influencer is a suitable spokesperson. Supporters point to the impact of peer support and the credibility of lived experience. Critics are concerned about the risk of blurring the line between personal testimony and clinical expertise, as well as the media pressure placed on someone who was still a teenager when the app launched.
Miel Abitbol’s journey illustrates a recurring pattern: a victim of cyberviolence turns her experience into an entrepreneurial and advocacy project. The question that remains open in 2026 is not whether she is sincere, but whether she is receiving adequate institutional support. As long as the legal proceedings remain unresolved and the legislative framework is still under development, we remain in a limbo where media coverage fills the gaps left by the system.
