French President Emmanuel Macron wants to make the protection of minors on social media and the regulation of screen time one of the milestones of his second term, which ends in mid-2027
Os French deputies approved in the early hours of this Tuesday (27th, local date) the ban on the use of social networks for children under 15 years of agea measure that seeks to protect the mental health of teenagers and combat cyberbullying. The measure, which also requires approval from the Senate to come into force, comes after Australia banned, in December, the use of social networks by children under 16 — something unprecedented in the world.
French President Emmanuel Macron wants to make the protection of minors on social media and the regulation of screen time one of the milestones of his second term, which ends in mid-2027.
This desire materialized in a bill from his party, Renaissance, which the National Assembly (lower house) approved after midnight local time by 130 votes in favor and 21 against, after more than seven hours of heated debates. The Senate, in turn, will examine the text in the coming weeks. “Our children’s brains are not for sale, neither to American platforms nor to Chinese networks. (…) Their dreams should not be dictated by algorithms”, highlighted Macron on the social network X, after celebrating an “important milestone”.
Concern about the impact of social networks on the mental health of adolescents and young people is growing around the world. Countries like Spain or Denmark are also studying its ban. Social networks such as TikTok or Snapchat, ubiquitous in the lives of teenagers, can harm their mental health, warns the French health security agency, Anses.
Deputies also approved banning cell phones in high schools attended by young people aged 15 to 18. This standard already applies in primary schools and in centers for the first cycle of secondary education.
*With information from AFP
