France approves social media ban for children under 15

PARIS: French lawmakers approved a ban on social media access for children under 15 on Tuesday, making France the first European country to adopt such a restriction. 

Both the Senate and National Assembly backed the legislation, which President Emmanuel Macron wants implemented before the start of the next academic year.

Under the law, children younger than 15 will be barred from opening social media accounts from September 1. Platforms will then have four months to close accounts already held by underage users.

Social media companies will also be required to use age-verification systems approved by the French privacy regulator.

“France opens the way by being the first country in Europe to adopt a digital majority,” Anne Le Hénanff, junior minister for AI, told senators.

France follows Australia, where a ban on social media access for users under 16 took effect in December and applies to platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.

Social media companies have generally opposed blanket bans, arguing that they already use age restrictions and other safeguards for younger users. However, they have said they will comply with laws introduced by governments.

The European Commission is separately working on measures to regulate social media use by young people across the bloc and will assess whether the French legislation complies with existing European law.

Macron has repeatedly called for stricter controls on children’s digital use. At an event in April, he urged young people to put down their phones and read more.

“We left you in this jungle and it robbed you of your attention,” Macron told teenagers. “We need to slow down and help you become adults, and above all citizens.”

“That’s why what we want to do is say that before 15 years old, no more social media,” he added.