France became the first European Union country to approve a blanket social media ban for children under 15 on Tuesday, as lawmakers moved to curb young users’ exposure to addictive design and harmful content.
Lawmakers Approve Ban Ahead Of September
Both chambers of Parliament backed the measure, which also bars mobile-phone use in high schools. President Emmanuel Macron, who had pressed lawmakers for an Australia-style crackdown, wants it to take effect Sept. 1, although constitutional and EU reviews could delay implementation, according to the Associated Press.
Platforms including TikTok, Meta Platforms Inc.’s (NASDAQ:META) Facebook and Instagram, Reddit Inc. (NYSE:RDDT), Elon Musk’s X and Snap Inc. (NYSE:SNAP) would have four more months to close existing underage accounts and must use age-verification systems approved by France’s privacy regulator.
Parents Describe Harm Linked To Platforms
“We’ve been campaigning for this bill from the start because, frankly, we have no other option, no other way to counter tech giants,” Paris-area parent Gaëlle Berbonde told AP. “The only thing we can do is protect our children, just as we protect our children from drinking alcohol.”
Berbonde said her daughter developed anorexia, depression and self-harming behavior after receiving a smartphone in seventh grade and later spent 18 months in a hospital. French families have also sued TikTok over teen suicides they allege were linked to harmful content, while authorities opened a criminal investigation into the platform last year.
“France is leading the way in Europe in protecting our children and our teenagers,” Macron said. “We will keep on going.”
Benzinga has reached out to all the social media platforms mentioned for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Enforcement Questions And Global Pressure Grow
The law excludes online encyclopedias and educational or scientific directories. France Unbowed lawmakers opposed it, warning that age checks could erode anonymity and prove impossible to enforce. Ines Legendre of child-protection group e-Enfance said officials still must determine how to identify and suspend existing accounts.
French health data cited by AP showed that 90% of 12- to 17-year-olds use smartphones daily to access the internet, while 58% use them for social networks. The report linked heavy use with lower self-esteem and greater exposure to self-harm, drug-use and suicide content.
France follows Australia, which bars under-16s and can fine noncompliant platforms up to A$50 million (roughly $34.96 million). Australia has since tightened enforcement after children continued accessing services. The European Commission is also considering phased restrictions and has targeted “addictive” features such as infinite scrolling.
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