France Moves to Ban Under-15s from Social Media
A cross-party committee has agreed a compromise text, but the bill still faces a vote in both chambers before it can become law, following a Brussels waiting period.
Key Takeaways:
- A compromise bill barring children under 15 from social media was approved by a cross-party committee in France’s Parliament on Monday.
- The move aligns with Australia’s under-16 ban and broader European trends.
- The bill would block access to major platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube for those under 15, requiring age-verification systems vetted by France’s privacy regulator.
- Smartphones will also be banned in high schools, extending an existing prohibition for younger pupils.
- While the National Assembly favored a blanket ban on all social networking services, the Senate advocated for a narrower blacklist, with the compromise adopting the former view.
- The government’s digital minister will create the official list of covered services, and age-verification methods remain unspecified.
- Lawmakers aim to complete voting before summer recess, but the bill cannot take effect until August 10 due to EU notification requirements.
- President Emmanuel Macron supports the ban, aiming for its implementation by the start of the new school year in September.
Quoted Text:
"Banning social media for those under 15: this is what scientists recommend, and this is what the French people are overwhelmingly calling for," said Macron earlier this year when the National Assembly first passed the text.
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