French lawmakers race to introduce an under-15 social media ban before the new school year
Lawmakers also require age verification and plan to block new accounts from Sept. 1, while giving platforms four months to close existing ones.
- French lawmakers from The National Assembly and The Senate met Monday in a joint committee to resolve differences over a bill banning social media for children under 15 before the summer recess.
- Growing awareness of social media's dangers to young, developing brains has driven the legislative push, with France's health watchdog reporting one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours daily on smartphones.
- Legislators disagree on scope: The National Assembly favors a total prohibition of online social networking services, while The Senate prefers a blacklist approach, complicating alignment with the Digital Services Act.
- Should the joint committee reach an agreement, the bill could go before both chambers for a final vote as early as Tuesday, though time remains constrained before parliamentary recess.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this month called for limits on children's screen time, signaling that The European Commission may soon propose restrictions for its 27 member countries.
132 Articles
132 Articles
France has just taken a historic step in the regulation of the digital world. The French Parliament has passed a law that prohibits access to social networks for children under 15 years of age, making...
This is a major change in the lives of our teenagers. France will become the first European country to introduce the ban on social networks for children under 15 years of age. It will apply from 1 September 2026 for new accounts. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok, all are concerned. Online platforms will have four months to set up the controls. In case of a fine, it is not the parents who will pay, but these websites. (Company topics).
El Mundo
The National Assembly finally approved on Tuesday the bill "directed to protect minors from the risks to which they are exposed by the use of social networks."...
The law is to apply after the summer holidays. France is the first EU state to decide on a social media ban for children and young people.
After the summer holidays, children under the age of 15 are not allowed to create new social media accounts in France. France is the first EU country with such a ban.
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