Paris.- The French Parliament definitively approved this Tuesday the law that prohibits access to social media for those under 15 years of age, a measure that makes France the first country in Europe to establish a general restriction of this type and which the Government aims to implement from the start of the next school year.
“France is leading the way in Europe to protect our children and adolescents. We are moving forward,” declared French President Emmanuel Macron in a video on his social media shortly after the final approval of the text, in which he celebrated the Parliament’s decision and recalled that it was one of his commitments, which sees the light of day in the final stretch of his second and final term.
The head of State thanked the parliamentarians for their support and noted that it is now up to the Constitutional Council to rule on the law before its implementation. “Afterwards, it will be time to act to make this measure effective and protect our children on the internet,” he added.
The text received the backing of the Senate, which approved it with 243 votes in favor and two against, and hours later it was ratified by the National Assembly, with 279 in favor and 81 against, culminating several months of parliamentary processing.
What does the standard say?
The regulation establishes that minors under 15 years of age will not be able to access social media services offered by digital platforms.
Certain portals are excluded from the ban, such as online encyclopedias like Wikipedia, as well as free software development and distribution platforms or open-source educational projects.
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The law does not establish a specific age verification system, so it will be up to the platforms, such as Facebook or TikTok, to implement mechanisms to verify the age of their users.
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The text also expands the ban on the use of mobile phones to high schools, extending a restriction that until now applied to primary and secondary schools, although the centers will be able to contemplate exceptions in their internal regulations.
Entry into force
The Government expects the ban to come into effect on September 1 for new accounts created on the affected platforms. In the case of existing accounts, the measure will begin to apply after a four-month transition period, starting on January 1, 2027.
The Minister Delegate for Digital Affairs, Anne Le Hénanff, stated before the Senate that France “is a pioneer in Europe” in establishing a digital age of majority of 15 years and assured that a coalition of fifteen European countries, including Spain, is studying incorporating similar regulation into their national legislations.
Australia was the first country in the world to pass a similar restriction, but in their case for those under 16 years of age.
