A bill banning children under the age of 15 from using social media has been approved by a joint parliamentary committee in France. The legislation, which President Emmanuel Macron wants to take effect before the start of the new school year, would require social media platforms to implement age verification systems and would also ban smartphone use in high schools.
The French Parliament has reached a significant milestone in advancing legislation that would prohibit children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms. A joint parliamentary committee approved the bill after reaching an agreement on its final provisions.
President Emmanuel Macron has said he wants the legislation, aimed at protecting children in the digital environment, to come into force before the new academic year begins in September.
Mandatory Age Verification for Social Media Platforms
If the bill becomes law, France’s Ministry for Digital Technologies will draw up a list of social media platforms that will be inaccessible to users under the age of 15.
Social media companies covered by the legislation will be required to use age verification systems approved by France’s data protection authority to verify users’ ages.
The implementation of the regulation and the protection of personal data during the age verification process have been among the most debated aspects of the bill in Parliament.
Smartphone Ban Extended to High Schools
The proposed legislation goes beyond restricting social media access.
Under the new rules, smartphone use will also be banned in French high schools. Existing restrictions on mobile phone use in primary and middle schools would be expanded to include high school students.
France Follows Australia’s Lead
If approved, France will join the growing number of countries introducing minimum age requirements for social media use.
Australia took one of the first major steps in this area in December by introducing a ban on social media use for children under the age of 16, covering platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
The French bill is expected to be voted on by the National Assembly and then the Senate in the coming days.
Macron Calls for EU-Wide Action
President Emmanuel Macron argues that age restrictions on children’s access to social media should not be limited to France alone.
He has called on European Union member states to adopt a common regulatory framework. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also recently expressed support for efforts to limit children’s access to social media platforms across the European Union.
France’s proposed legislation is being regarded as one of the most comprehensive initiatives in Europe aimed at strengthening children’s digital safety.