French Assembly Approves Under-15 Social Media Ban

France's National Assembly approved legislation late Monday that would ban children under 15 from using social media platforms, marking a major step toward restricting young people's online access amid concerns over mental health and screen addiction. The vote, which passed with a wide margin of 116 to 23, came after an overnight debate and enjoys strong support from President Emmanuel Macron, who has called for swift implementation before the September school year begins.

The bill, proposed by lawmaker Laure Miller from Macron's Renaissance party, targets platforms including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat. It would prohibit users under 15 from creating or accessing accounts on these sites, with the state media regulator tasked to compile a list of harmful platforms for outright bans and another for those requiring parental consent. Enforcement details remain under development, but officials have pointed to existing European systems for age verification on explicit content as a potential model. The measure also extends a nationwide ban on mobile phones to high schools, building on restrictions already in place for kindergartens and middle schools.