'Major step forward': French lawmakers approve social media ban for children under 15

French lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill banning social media access for children under 15, putting France at the forefront of similar efforts in the European Union.

President Emmanuel Macron has championed the ban as a flagship reform of his final term in office and pledged to enforce it by September. 

"France is leading the way in Europe when it comes to protecting our children and teenagers," Macron said in a video posted on social media, hailing "a major step forward".

He thanked members of parliament for backing the legislation.

"The Constitutional Council must now rule on it, and then it will be time to take action to make this measure a reality and protect our children online," he added on X.

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After approval by the Senate earlier Tuesday, members of the National Assembly passed the bill by 279 votes to 81. 

A growing number of countries are taking steps to restrict social media access amid multiplying warnings over its harmful effects on children. 

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The ban was to be rolled out in two stages, with under-15s blocked from creating new accounts from September 1. The ban would apply to existing accounts from January 2027, according to the legislation.

Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff said ahead of the vote that the timeline was realistic, "because age-verification tools already exist" with others still in the works, and the onus was on the platforms to impose the rule. 

"For four months, all of us in France will have to prove our age," she told journalists.

"If someone is under 15, the account will be closed."

The minister also gave assurances that users' personal data would be protected. 

Enforcing the measure by September would also ensure that one provision of the bill – a ban on mobile phones in high schools – takes effect at the beginning of the French school year.

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Detrimental to teen health

France's public health watchdog last year said platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram were detrimental to adolescents, particularly girls, though it was not the sole reason for their declining mental health.

The agency said that one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on a smartphone. In a report published in December, it said that some 90 percent of children aged between 12 and 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet, with 58 percent of them using their devices for social networks.

The report highlighted a range of harmful effects stemming from the use of social networks, including reduced self-esteem and increased exposure to content associated with risky behaviours such as self-harm, drug use and suicide. Several families in France have sued TikTok over teen suicides they say are linked to harmful content.

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Lawmakers agreed on the need for regulation but the two chambers had disagreed on the approach. 

French senators had opted for a two-tier system distinguishing between blacklisted platforms flagged as harmful to a child's development, and those that could still be accessed with parental consent. 

But the lower house's blanket ban prevailed, despite criticism from some on the left over the age verification process, the speed of its implementation and risks of circumvention as well as privacy concerns. 

Exceptions to the ban are provided for sites such as online encyclopaedias and educational platforms and the text does not provide for any penalties for children or parents. 

"The major platforms are, in my view, largely ready," lawmaker Laure Miller told AFP.

EU role

The blacklisting system would have taken more time, including fresh consultations with the European Commission on the criteria, and carried a "small risk" of non-compliance with European law, said centrist Senator Catherine Morin-Desailly, in charge of the bill in the upper house.

The EU itself has been mulling a social media ban since a push by member states, including France, Greece and Spain, for limiting access.

Last week, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said children should have "phased and gradual access" to social media.

Enforcement of regulations will also face the challenge of setting up effective age verification systems.

Lawmaker Laure Miller told AFP platforms will be expected to integrate "the tool or tools" of their choice for this purpose, with various options available or in the works, including an age-verification app unveiled in April by the European Commission.

After Macron's government suspended a flagship pensions reform last year, the social media ban could be his last major domestic change before he steps down in April 2027.

With the law's adoption, France joins a growing list of more than 20 countries that have taken steps toward regulating children's social media access.

In December last year, Australia became the first country in the world to require TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and other top sites to remove accounts held by under-16s, or face heavy fines.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)