France Bans Social Media for Children Under 15
PARIS (AP) – On Tuesday, France’s parliament enacted a law prohibiting children under 15 from using social media, making it the first country in the European Union to implement such a measure. This decision arises amid escalating concerns about the harmful impacts of digital content on young users.
Both legislative chambers approved the bill, which stands as a significant initiative of President Emmanuel Macron during his second term. Additionally, the law prohibits cellphone usage in high schools.
In light of several lawsuits against TikTok related to tragic incidents of teenage suicides, families are seeking legal accountability for the platform’s potential role in harmful content exposure. Many child advocates and parents expressed their support for the legislation.
Gaël Belbond, a 52-year-old resident of the Paris area, shared, “We’ve been pushing for this bill from the start because, honestly, there’s no competing with major tech companies. The best we can do is to safeguard our kids, similar to how we prevent them from drinking.”
Belbond recounted that her daughter received her first smartphone in seventh grade. While they utilized parental control apps, she was initially unaware of TikTok’s influence. Later, they discovered their daughter was struggling with self-harm and anorexia, leading to a year and a half stay in the hospital. Fortunately, now at 16, her daughter is thriving.
This legislation is one of the final notable actions during Macron’s presidency as he approaches the end of his term next year. He aims for the law to be implemented at the beginning of the school year in September, but it might face scrutiny regarding its constitutional validity, which could postpone its enforcement.
Interestingly, this ban won’t extend to educational platforms or online encyclopedias.
Opposition has arisen, particularly from members of the left-wing party France Unbound. They contend that the law’s constitutionality is questionable, may infringe on online privacy, and complicates enforcement.
Ines Legendre, a lawyer at the online protection organization e-Enfance, pointed out that the law might not lead to an immediate enforcement halt. She remarked, “We need to figure out how to identify and manage existing accounts for those under 15 and implement age verification for new accounts.”
Statistics from a French health watchdog indicate that half of the teenagers are on their smartphones for two to five hours daily. A report from December revealed that around 90% of kids aged 12 to 17 use their smartphones daily for internet access, with 58% engaging in social networking.
This report underlines various risks tied to social media, including diminished self-esteem and an uptick in exposure to self-harm, substance use, and suicidal content.
As lawmakers wrapped up discussions on Monday, they responded to the European Commission’s evaluation that identified overlaps with the EU’s digital services law. They finalized a revised version of the bill for a concluding vote in both chambers.
