French lawmakers approve bill banning social media for children under 15 • FRANCE 24 English
French National Assembly Proposes Social Media Ban for Children
Overview of the Proposed Legislation
- The French National Assembly has supported a bill to ban social media access for children under 15, imposing significant fines on non-compliant platforms.
- Laura Miller, the bill's author, emphasizes that childhood should not be commercialized and highlights negative impacts such as reduced reading, physical activity, and sleep among children.
Context and Comparisons
- This proposed ban follows Australia's pioneering legislation prohibiting social media use for youth under 16, which will take effect in December 2025.
Additional Measures in Education
- The legislation also aims to restrict smartphone usage in high schools. It has garnered support from far-right and center-right parties but faced opposition from the far-left France Unbowed party.
- Critics argue that the law is merely symbolic and does not effectively address issues related to educational digital platforms like Pronote, which they claim contribute to screen addiction among students.