France bans social media for children under 15

The French parliament formally approved on Tuesday a bill banning the use of social media by individuals under the age of 15, marking a first of its kind in Europe.

The reform is scheduled to take effect in September to protect the health of children and teenagers.

The measure, which French President Emmanuel Macron had pledged and which constitutes one of the key initiatives of the end of his term, will require social media platforms to implement age-verification systems, a topic that had been widely debated.

Commenting on the measure, Macron announced on Tuesday that France is leading European efforts to protect children online.

In a video posted on social media, he said, “France is leading the way in Europe in protecting our children and young people,” praising it as a “major step forward.”