PARIS: France’s lower house of parliament has overwhelmingly approved a bill seeking to ban social media use for children under the age of 15, although the legislation still requires approval from the Senate before it can become law.
According to Reuters, the move comes amid growing concerns over online harassment, psychological pressure, and increasing risks to children’s mental health.
The bill was passed in the National Assembly with 116 votes in favour and 23 against. It will now be sent to the Senate for review, after which it must return to the lower house for final approval.
The draft legislation states that excessive use of social media among minors has led to an alarming rise in mental health problems, making regulatory intervention unavoidable.
The bill also proposes extending the existing ban on smartphone use in middle schools to high schools, aiming to create a safer and more focused educational environment.
Reports indicate that French President Emmanuel Macron strongly supports the legislation. He has previously described social media as a major factor behind rising violence and aggressive behaviour among young people.
President Macron has warned that unrestricted access to social media at an early age is harming children’s psychological development and has expressed support for introducing restrictions similar to those implemented in Australia.
