French lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban social media access for children under the age of 15. The legislation, already approved by the Senate, awaits a vote in the National Assembly.

The government aims to enact the law by the start of the new school year in September, which would make France the first EU country to impose such a ban.

Under the draft, under-15s would be barred from opening social media accounts from September 1, and platforms would have until January 1, 2027, to close existing accounts of minors.

The bill also prohibits mobile phone use in high schools and mandates age verification measures in line with France's privacy regulator. A potential solution is an age verification app developed by the European Commission.

France's health watchdog warned in a December report about the harmful effects of platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, citing reduced self-esteem and increased exposure to content related to self-harm, suicide, and drug use.

President Macron has made regulating social media a key domestic priority. In April, he told teenagers, "We left you in this jungle and it robbed you of your attention."

Australia became the first country worldwide to ban social media for under-16s in December, followed by Indonesia and Turkey. Other EU states like Greece, Austria, and Slovenia are considering similar measures. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed bloc-wide restrictions.

Source: www.dw.com