France Passes Legislation Banning Social Media Use for Under-15s Amid Growing Concerns

France’s National Assembly has approved legislation to ban children under 15 years old from using social media and its embedded functionalities, following growing concerns about online bullying and mental health risks among young people. President Emmanuel Macron, citing social media as one factor contributing to violence among youth, called for the bill to be implemented by September, mirroring Australia’s recent ban on platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube for under-16s.

The proposed legislation would see social networking functionalities restricted from use by minors. The move reflects heightened public anxiety over the impact of social media on adolescents. Macron emphasized that this measure was a necessary step to establish clear boundaries in society, asserting that “social media is not harmless.”

This bill comes as Australia’s ban, which came into effect in December, has drawn attention and imitation from several countries including Britain, Denmark, Spain, and Greece. The European Parliament has also called for the setting of minimum ages for children to access social media platforms.

In France, there is broad political and public support for restricting minors’ social media usage. Critics argue that such a ban is essential due to the detrimental effects on reading habits, sleep patterns, and self-comparisons found in surveys. However, supporters contend that this measure aims to protect free minds.

While Macron noted that enforcing such bans can be challenging—Australia’s rollout faced difficulties with underage users exploiting loopholes—the bill would mandate age-verification mechanisms compliant with European Union law for social media platforms.

The ban also extends an existing smartphone ban in junior and middle schools to high schools, addressing broader concerns about excessive screen time. Public opinion polls suggest strong support from 73% of the population advocating a ban on social media access for under-15s.

On the ground, teenagers in Paris display mixed opinions: while acknowledging potential dangers, some feel that the ban is overzealous.