French lawmakers have taken a major step toward reshaping children’s digital lives after approving a bill that would ban children under 15 from using social media and restrict mobile phone use in high schools.
The bill, strongly backed by President Emmanuel Macron, is aimed at protecting young people from excessive screen time and its potential impact on mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Bill Passes National Assembly
France’s lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, adopted the bill by 130 votes to 21 following a lengthy overnight session that ran from Monday into Tuesday.
The legislation will now move to the Senate, where it must be approved before it can become law.
Reacting to the vote, President Macron described the move as a “major step” toward safeguarding children and teenagers.
“We do not want an anxious generation but a generation that believes in France, the Republic, and its values,” Macron wrote on X.
Macron Targets Big Tech Influence
In a video message released over the weekend, Macron struck a strong tone against global tech platforms, saying young people’s emotions should not be “for sale or manipulated”.
He specifically referenced American social media platforms and Chinese algorithms, warning against their influence on children’s development.
Age Verification Key to Enforcement
For the social media ban to be enforced, authorities will need an effective age-verification system. Work on such technology is currently underway at the European level, though details have not yet been finalised.
Without a reliable system, enforcing the under-15 restriction could prove challenging.
Mobile Phone Ban in Schools
Macron has also voiced support for banning mobile phones in high schools.
France already introduced a ban in 2018 preventing mobile phone use in colleges — schools attended by children aged 11 to 15.
However, former prime minister Elisabeth Borne urged caution, questioning whether enforcement is currently effective.
“It’s more complicated than that,” she told France 2.
“We first need to make sure that the ban is properly enforced in middle schools.”
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