France passes bill banning social media for under-15s

France’s National Assembly has passed a bill banning social media use for children under the age of 15, aiming to protect minors from excessive screen time. Lawmakers in the lower house agreed on the key provisions on Monday, passing the bill by 116 votes to 23. President Emmanuel Macron has expressed support for the proposal, according to the BBC.

The vote followed an overnight session from Monday to Tuesday at the National Assembly, where 130 lawmakers voted in favour and 21 against. The bill will now be sent to the upper house, the Senate, and will become law if approved there. The proposed legislation also includes a provision to ban mobile phone use in French high schools.

After the bill was passed, President Macron described it as an important step. In a social media post, he called the vote a significant move to protect French children and adolescents and urged the government to move quickly so the ban can be enforced from the start of the next academic year, which begins on September 1 in France. He wrote, ‘Our children’s brains are not for sale.’

The bill’s sponsor, MP Laure Miller, told Le Monde that the law draws a clear line for society. She said social networks are not harmless, adding that while they promised to bring people together, they have instead pushed people apart, overwhelmed society with information and trapped users in constant engagement.

Under the draft law, the state media regulator will prepare a list of social media platforms deemed harmful, which will be completely banned for users under 15. A separate list will cover less harmful platforms, which may be accessed only with explicit parental consent. Another provision proposes a ban on mobile phone use in senior schools, while such restrictions are already in force in junior and middle schools.