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French Lawmakers approved a bill banning social media use by children under 15, paving the way for the measure to take effect when the next school year begins in September, as the idea of setting a minimum age for using the platforms gains widespread support everywhere. Europe.
The bill, which also bans cellphone use in high schools, passed Monday night by a vote of 130 to 21. french president Emmanuel Macron The legislation has been called for to be expedited and will now be discussed in Parliament Senate in the coming weeks.
“Ban social media for those under 15: this is the advice of scientists and the overwhelming call of the French people,” Macron said after the vote. “Because our children’s brains are not for sale — neither to American platforms nor to Chinese networks. Because their dreams cannot be determined by algorithms.”
The bill is one of the few in the divided National Assembly to enjoy such broad support, although critics from the far left have decried its provisions as infringing on civil liberties. Macron has strongly backed the ban, which could become one of the last major steps under his leadership before leaving office next year, weakening France since his decision to dissolve parliament plunged the country into a protracted political crisis.
The French government had previously passed a law banning the use of mobile phones in all primary and secondary schools.
The parliamentary vote comes just days after the UK government said it would consider banning social media use by teenagers as it tightens laws aimed at protecting children from harmful content and too much screen time.
The French bill is designed to comply with the European Union’s Digital Services Act, which imposes a stringent set of requirements aimed at ensuring the online safety of internet users. In November, European lawmakers called for action at EU level to protect minors online, including setting an EU-wide minimum age of 16 and banning the most harmful practices.
One in two teenagers uses smartphones for two to five hours a day, according to France’s health watchdog. A report released in December said that about 90% of children aged 12 to 17 use smartphones to go online every day, with 58% using the devices for social networking.
The report highlights a range of harmful effects of using social networks, including lowered self-esteem and increased exposure to content related to risky behaviors such as self-harm, drug use and suicide. Several families in France have sued TikTok, saying teen suicides are linked to harmful content.
France’s ban does not include online encyclopedias, educational or scientific directories, or platforms for developing and sharing open source software.
Social media companies have revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children since Australia banned children under 16 from using social media platforms, officials said. The law has sparked heated debate in Australia about technology use, privacy, child safety and mental health, and prompted other countries to consider similar measures.