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France Becomes First EU Nation to Ban Social Media for Under-15s
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด Romania /Culture & Society

France Becomes First EU Nation to Ban Social Media for Under-15s

From Adevฤƒrul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Approved/passed
  • France's Parliament has approved a bill banning social media access for children under 15, making it the first EU country to implement such a restriction.
  • President Emmanuel Macron aims to have the measure fully implemented by September, calling it a key reform and a major step in protecting young people online.
  • The ban will be phased in, starting with new account creation in September and extending to existing accounts in January 2027, with age verification tools already in development.

Paris, France โ€“ France is set to become the first European Union member state to ban children under 15 from accessing social media platforms, following parliamentary approval of a new bill.

President Emmanuel Macron has championed the ban, positioning it as a cornerstone of his final term and pledging its implementation by September. "France is paving the way in Europe when it comes to protecting our children and adolescents," Macron stated in a social media video, describing the measure as "a major step forward."

France is paving the way in Europe when it comes to protecting our children and adolescents. This is a major step forward.

โ€” Emmanuel MacronDescribing the significance of the new law.

Following Senate approval, the National Assembly adopted the bill with 279 votes in favor and 81 against. The legislation will be implemented in two stages. Initially, individuals under 15 will be prohibited from creating new social media accounts starting September 1. This restriction will then extend to existing accounts by January 2027.

Now, the Constitutional Council must rule on the law, and then it will be time to act to make this measure a reality and protect our children online.

โ€” Emmanuel MacronFollowing parliamentary approval of the bill.

Digital Affairs Minister Anne Le Hรฉnanff expressed confidence in the timeline, noting that age verification tools are already available or under development. She emphasized that the platforms bear the responsibility for enforcing the rule, stating, "For four months, we will all have to prove our age in France. If a person is under 15, the account will be closed."

The push for this legislation stems from warnings by France's public health authority about the detrimental effects of platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram on adolescent mental health. The government also plans to ban mobile phones in middle schools at the start of the French school year, aligning with the September implementation of the social media ban.

For four months, we will all have to prove our age in France. If a person is under 15, the account will be closed.

โ€” Anne Le HรฉnanffExplaining the implementation of the age verification process.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Adevฤƒrul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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