France is preparing to redraw the digital lives of its youngest citizens. In a move that could reshape childhood in the smartphone era, MPs are debating a sweeping 'France social media ban' for under‑15s, blocking access to platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok and forcing parents, schools and tech giants to rethink how children go online.
President Emmanuel Macron wants the law in place by the start of the new school year in September, casting it as a response to mounting evidence that social networks can damage young people's mental health. He has framed the fight in stark terms, saying last month: 'We cannot leave the mental and emotional health of our children in the hands of people whose sole purpose is to make money out of them.'
