French lawmakers on Tuesday approved a ban on social media access for minors under 15, amid growing global concern about the impact of these platforms on children’s health and safety.
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France thus becomes the first country in Europe to follow Australia’s example, where the world’s first ban for minors under 16 on platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube came into effect in December. Platforms can be fined up to 50 million Australian dollars (35 million US dollars) if they fail to prevent minors under that age from having accounts.
“France is leading the way by being the first country in Europe to adopt a digital majority,” Anne Le Hénanff, Deputy Minister for AI, told senators, according to Reuters.
Both chambers of Parliament voted in favor of the measure, a flagship initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron’s second term. The bill also bans the use of mobile phones in high schools.
Several families in France have sued TikTok over teenage suicides that they claim are linked to harmful content. Child rights advocates and parents applauded the vote.
“We have been campaigning for this bill from the beginning because, frankly, we have no other choice, no other way to counter the tech giants,” said Gaëlle Berbonde, 52, a resident of the Paris region. “The only thing we can do is protect our children, just as we protect them from alcohol consumption,” she told The Associated Press.
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This legislation is one of the last major measures taken during Macron’s presidency before he leaves office next year. Macron wants the law to come into effect at the start of the new school year in September. However, a review is likely to be carried out to determine whether the bill complies with the French Constitution, which could delay its implementation.
“France is a pioneer in Europe in protecting our children and teenagers,” Macron declared. “We will continue to move forward.”
The ban will not affect online encyclopedias or educational or scientific directories.
According to the French health watchdog, one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on a smartphone. A report published in December indicated that approximately 90% of children aged 12 to 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet, and 58% of them use them for social media.
The report highlighted a number of detrimental effects from social media use, including decreased self-esteem and increased exposure to content associated with risky behaviors such as self-harm, drug use, and suicide.
