French Parliament Approves Ban on Social Media Use for Under-15s

Paris, July 21 (KUNA) -- The French Parliament approved on Tuesday a bill banning the use of social media by children under the age of 15. Following the Senate’s approval, members of the French National Assembly (the lower house of the French Parliament) passed the law by a vote of 279 in favor to 81 against. The measure is scheduled to take effect with the start of the new school year.

For his part, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged via his account on the social media platform X that the measure would be enacted, noting that it had now become law following the legislators’ vote, and he praised the efforts of parliamentarians. Macron added that the French Constitutional Council would review the law before the necessary steps are taken to implement it.

Speaking before the vote on the bill, French Minister for Digital Affairs Anne Héninard said the implementation timeline was realistic, given that age-verification tools already exist, while others are still under development. She emphasized that responsibility for enforcing the rules lies with social media platforms. The minister added that all users in France would be required to verify their ages within four months, and any account belonging to a person under 15 would be closed, while stressing the protection of users’ personal data.

An increasing number of countries are taking measures to limit children’s access to social media platforms amid growing warnings about their harmful effects on minors. (End) M.B. / M.A. H.A.