France's National Assembly on Monday approved a bill to ban social media use for children under 15 amid growing concerns about online bullying and mental health risks, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
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The bill proposes to ban children under 15 from using social media and "social media functionality" embedded in broader platforms, reflecting growing public outrage over the impact of social media on minors.
Lawmakers voted 116 to 23 in favor of the bill. It now goes to the Senate before a final vote in the lower house.
French President Emmanuel Macron has pointed to social media as one of the factors responsible for youth violence. He is calling on France to follow the example of Australia, whose world-first ban for individuals under 16 on social media platforms, including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube, came into effect in December.
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Macron wants the ban to be implemented in time for the start of the next school year in September.
Australia's social media ban is being studied in countries such as the UK, Denmark, Spain, and Greece.
The European Parliament has called on the European Union to set a minimum age for children to access social media, although member states themselves set age limits.
The ban in France would require platforms to block access for young teenagers using age verification mechanisms that comply with European Union law.
Enforcing such bans can be difficult. The Australian government acknowledged that implementing the ban would be challenging after children claiming to be under 16 flooded the country's social media feeds with messages boasting about their continued ability to access the networks.
French law also extends the existing ban on smartphones in junior and middle schools to high schools.
A 2024 Harris Interactive poll found that 73% of the public supported a ban on social media access for individuals under 15.
Teenagers on the streets of Paris were divided in their opinions. Some said they recognized the dangers associated with social media. Others considered the ban excessive.
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