French National Assembly approves social media ban for children below 15 years

Key facts

• The French National Assembly passed a bill banning children below 15 years from social media by 130 votes to 21.
• The bill mandates age-verification mechanisms compliant with European Union law to enforce the ban.
• President Emmanuel Macron aims to implement the ban before the start of the next academic year in September.
• Social media platforms must deactivate non-compliant accounts by 31 December.
• The legislation extends the existing smartphone ban in junior and middle schools to high schools.
• Australia was the first country to ban children below 16 from social media platforms in December.
• The United Kingdom, Denmark, Spain, and Greece are also considering similar bans.
• A 2024 Harris Interactive survey showed 73 percent of the French public supported the ban for those below 15 years.