France Bans Social Media for Under-15s as First EU Country
France is introducing a social media ban for children and young people under the age of 15, making it the first EU country to do so. Following the French Senate, the National Assembly also voted for the law by a large majority.
France has become the first country in the European Union to pass a social media ban for children under 15. The National Assembly voted in favor of the ban in the evening by 279 to 81 votes. The Senate had backed the draft in the afternoon by 243 to two votes.
At the request of President Emmanuel Macron, the new rules are set to come into force after the summer holidays. "I had advocated for this, and now it has been decided: from the new school year, social networks will be banned for children under 15," Macron said following the parliamentary vote. Platform operators are to be required to introduce effective age verification measures.
The law is set to apply to new social media accounts from September 1, while existing accounts will have a transitional period of four months until January 1, 2027. During this time, "we will close the already existing accounts of under-15s," Macron had said last month.
Extended Ban on Mobile Phones in Schools
The law also provides for an extension of the ban on mobile phones in schools from primary and middle school to upper secondary school as well. Exemptions will, however, remain permitted.
The aim of the law is to prevent the harmful health effects of online networks on young people. According to a report by the French national health authority, use of social media significantly damages the mental health of adolescents.
Parliament in Paris had been deliberating for some time over the ban and its implementation, and the European Commission had also raised objections to the Paris plans.
EU Wants to Prevent Fragmentation and Legal Uncertainty
According to a European Commission spokesperson, Brussels sees a risk of fragmentation into national systems. This could lead to legal uncertainty and weaken law enforcement.
Several member states, including Spain, Greece and Austria, want to enshrine a social media ban for minors up to a certain age in law. German Federal Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU) also announced her intention to introduce such a ban in Germany.
However, this is not straightforward for individual EU member states: anyone seeking to technically enforce digital age limits can hardly bypass the major online platforms. The European Commission, however, has sole responsibility for prescribing rules for platforms and enforcing them.
