France Bans Social Media for Children Under 15

Social Media Ban for Minors

• 🇫🇷 French lawmakers have approved a bill to ban social media access for children under 15.
• ⚖️ The legislation aims to protect children's minds, which the bill's author states are "not a marketplace."
• 📉 Concerns cited include reduced reading and physical activity, decreased sleep, and increased social comparison among youth.

Implementation and Opposition

• 🚫 Social network sites failing to comply will face significant fines.
• 📱 The bill also proposes stopping smartphone use in high schools.
• 🏛️ Supported by the far and center-right parties, the ban was opposed by the far-left, who called it a "showpiece legislation" lacking real impact.
• 🏫 Critics argue that schools already have the power to ban screens and phones through internal rules.

Enforcement and Timeline

• 🗓️ French President Emmanuel Macron has called for the bill to be enforced starting September 2026, the beginning of the academic year.
• 💻 The Ministry of Education is also being urged to stop using Pronote, a platform that reportedly makes children addicted to checking screens.