President Emmanuel Macron has backed plans for a new law that would restrict social media access for children under the age of 15, as lawmakers in France vote on the proposal amid growing global concern over the impact of digital platforms on young users.
French senators are debating a draft bill on Tuesday that would ban or heavily restrict social media use for under 15, with the government pushing to have the measure in place before the start of the next school year in September.
If adopted, France would join countries such as Australia, which recently introduced a landmark under 16 social media restriction covering platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and YouTube.
Governments across Europe and beyond consider intensifying scrutiny of social media companies following concerns about mental health, online safety, and child development
Last week, a jury in Los Angeles found Meta and Google negligent in a case alleging their platforms were harmful to young users, a ruling that could influence similar legal challenges in other countries.
French lawmaker Laure Miller who drafted the bill, said the goal is to enforce “reliable, robust” age verification while protecting children’s personal data.
She argued that children are increasingly exposed to smartphones at younger ages, warning that it is affecting their cognitive and social development and saying regulation should not be left to tech companies.
However, the proposal faces resistance in the Senate, where amendments suggest a softer approach: rather than a blanket ban, only platforms deemed harmful would be restricted, while others could remain accessible with parental consent.
Under this revised version, a list of restricted platforms would be defined later by decree, potentially leading to further disagreement between France’s two parliamentary chambers, although the lower house would have the final decision.
Fifteen years old student Louis Szponik said he disagrees with a full ban, arguing that while social media can be distracting, it also helps young people communicate and express themselves socially.
