French lawmakers passed a bill banning children aged under 15 from accessing social media, the latest government move to push forward rules to shield minors from toxic content following the passage of Australia’s landmark legislation last year.
The national assembly adopted the bill by a vote of 130 to 21 after a late night session.
It will now go to the senate, France’s upper house, before it could become law. Lawmakers are hoping the ban will come into force before the new school year begins in the autumn.
The ban targets popular social media apps including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.
The companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the French legislation, but they have previously said they have long-standing safety features on their platforms aimed at protecting young users.
French president Emmanuel Macron hailed the move as a “major step” to shield children, urging the senate to pass the bill into law in a post on X.
“I have asked the government to fast-track the process,” Mr Macron wrote. “Because our children’s brains are not for sale. Not to American platforms, nor to Chinese networks.”
Mr Macron wants the ban in place in time for the start of the next academic year in September.
Centrist lawmaker Laure Miller told the chamber that the law will set a clear boundary in society and state that “social media is not harmless.”
“Our children are reading less, sleeping less, and comparing themselves to one another more,” she said. “This is a battle for free minds.”
[ A grand social media experiment begins in Australia. Will it work?Opens in new window ]
Australia’s social media ban is being studied in countries including the UK, Denmark, Spain and Greece.
The Irish government, which is also examining similar measures, has said it would be preferable for any decision to be taken by EU member states together.
The European Parliament has called for the European Union to set minimum ages for children to access social media, although it is up to member states to impose age limits.
There is broad political and public support in France for curbing minors’ access to social media.
Far-right lawmaker Thierry Perez said the bill responded to a “health emergency”.
“Social media has allowed everyone to express themselves, but at what cost to our children?” Perez said.
The French ban would require platforms to block access to young teenagers through age-verification mechanisms compliant with European Union law.
Enforcing such bans can be difficult. Australia’s government acknowledged the roll-out of its ban would be bumpy after children claiming to be under 16 flooded the country’s social media feeds with messages gloating about their continued ability to access networks.
The French legislation also extends an existing ban on smartphones in junior and middle schools to cover high schools.
A Harris Interactive survey in France in 2024 showed 73 per cent of the public supported a ban on social media access for under-15s.
Teenagers on the streets of Paris were split in their views. Some said they acknowledged the dangers associated with social media. Others felt a ban was excessive.
Australia in December became the world’s first democracy to require social media platforms to keep children under 16 off of their services. Policymakers from Indonesia to Denmark and Brazil say they are planning similar moves. – Bloomberg and Reuters
