The French parliament has passed a bill prohibiting the use of social media for children under the age of 15, a move hailed by President Emmanuel Macron as a major step in protecting young people from excessive screen time and online manipulation.
In a session that stretched into the early hours of Tuesday, 130 members of parliament voted in favor of the legislation, with 21 opposing it.
The bill will now be sent to the Senate for ratification before becoming law.
Macron praised the decision, saying it safeguards the well-being of French children and teenagers. The legislation also bans mobile phones in high schools, making France the second country after Australia, which in December prohibited social media use for those under 16.
“The feelings of our children and teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, whether by American platforms or Chinese algorithms,” Macron said.
Former French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal added that the Senate is expected to approve the bill by mid-February, allowing the ban to take effect on September 1.
Existing accounts not meeting the age requirement must be disabled by December 31.
The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety has highlighted multiple negative effects of social media on teenagers, especially girls, including cyberbullying, exposure to violent content, and deteriorating mental health.
The legislation also requires the implementation of an effective age verification system for social network users, which is currently being developed at the European level.
