French lawmakers have approved a ban on social media access for children under the age of 15, as concerns grow around the world over the impact social media have on the health and safety of minors.
France is the first in Europe to follow Australia, where the world’s first ban for under-16s on platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube came into force in December.
"France opens the way by being the first country in Europe to adopt a digital majority," said Anne Le Hénanff, junior minister for AI.
After approval by the Senate earlier Tuesday, members of the National Assembly passed the bill by 279 votes to 81.
President Emmanuel Macron hailed “a major step forward” in a video posted on social media.
“France is leading the way in Europe when it comes to protecting our children and teenagers," he said.
Macron, who in April urged young people to switch off their phones and read in order to become better citizens, wants the law in place in time for the start of the next academic year.
The Constitutional Council still has to sign off on the bill.
Protecting children
France's public health watchdog last year said platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram were harmful to adolescents, particularly girls, though it was not the sole reason for their declining mental health.
In May, 16 French families filed a complaint against TikTok for "exploitation of vulnerability".
Lawmakers agreed on the need for regulation but the two chambers had disagreed on the approach.
French senators had opted for a two-tier system distinguishing between blacklisted platforms flagged as harmful to a child's development, and those that could still be accessed with parental consent.
But the lower house's blanket ban prevailed, despite criticism from some on the left over the age verification process, the speed of its implementation and risks of circumvention as well as privacy concerns.
Exceptions to the ban are provided for sites such as online encyclopaedias and educational platforms and the text does not provide for any penalties for children or parents.
With the new legislation, children younger than 15 would not be allowed to open a social media account from 1 September.
Social media platforms would have another four months to close accounts already open. The platforms would also need to use age verification approved by the French privacy regulator.
The big platforms, who generally oppose blanket bans, have pledged to comply where governments enact bans.
The European Commission is working on its own regulations to rein in social media across Europe to protect young people, and it will have a say on whether France's bill respects existing European legislation.
(with newswires)
