France Advances Bill to Ban Social Media for Under-15s
The French National Assembly has approved a bill to prohibit individuals under 15 years old from accessing social media platforms. The legislation, passed with a vote of 116 in favor to 23 against, will now proceed to the Senate for further consideration. President Emmanuel Macron has requested a fast-track procedure to ensure the ban is in effect by the start of the upcoming school year in September.
Key Provisions of the Proposed Legislation
The bill targets individuals under 15 years of age, aiming to restrict their access to social media networks, including platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. Key aspects include:
- Designation of Harmful Platforms: The state media regulator would be tasked with compiling a list of social media networks deemed "harmful," which would then be inaccessible to individuals under 15.
- Parental Consent for Less Harmful Sites: A separate category of "less harmful" sites would be available, but only with explicit parental consent for access by this age group.
- Expansion of Mobile Phone Ban: The legislation also includes a provision to extend the existing ban on mobile phone use in junior and middle schools to include senior schools (lycées).
Rationale and Support
The initiative addresses growing concerns regarding the potential impact of social media on the mental and emotional well-being of minors, as well as issues such as online bullying and youth violence.
President Emmanuel Macron has stated the objective is to protect children's mental and emotional well-being, emphasizing that it should not be solely influenced by profit-driven platforms.
Centrist lawmaker Laure Miller, who drafted the foundational text of the bill and led a parliamentary inquiry into the psychological effects of social networks, stated the law establishes a clear societal boundary, asserting that social media is not harmless. Conservative lawmaker Thierry Perez described the bill as a response to a "health emergency."
Support for the bill is anticipated from pro-Macron parties, the centre-right Republicans (LR), and the populist right-wing National Rally (RN).
Legislative Process and Implementation Challenges
Following approval by the National Assembly, the bill will move to the upper house, the Senate, next month. President Macron's request for a fast-track procedure aims to circumvent potential legislative backlogs and ensure enactment by September.
Effective implementation of the law would necessitate the establishment of a robust age-verification mechanism, potentially similar to systems used for accessing online pornography. Such mechanisms would need to be compliant with European Union law. Challenges in enforcing such bans have been acknowledged, with references to Australia's experience where children reportedly found ways to bypass age restrictions. A previous attempt in 2023 to enact a comparable ban was deemed inoperable by courts due to conflicts with European law, prompting a redrafting following questions raised by the Council of State.
International Context and Public Opinion
France's proposed legislation aligns with a broader international movement to regulate children's access to social networks.
- Australia has already implemented a ban for under-16s on platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
- Other European nations, including Denmark, Greece, Spain, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, are also considering or consulting on similar age-based restrictions for social media use.
- The European Parliament has urged the European Union to establish minimum ages for children's social media access, leaving specific implementation to member states.
A 2024 Harris Interactive survey indicated 73% public support for a social media ban for under-15s in France, though teenagers in Paris expressed mixed opinions on the proposal.