Lawmakers have supported a bill that prohibits children under 15 from using social media. One legislator compared this to a “battle for free minds.”
The bill, which also bans mobile phones in (the text seems incomplete here), was passed late on Monday with a 130 – 21 vote. Now, the bill will go to the Senate for discussion before a final vote.
“By enacting this law, we are establishing a clear boundary in society and stating that social media is not without harm,” French lawmaker Laure Miller told the assembly.
“Our children are reading less, sleeping less, and comparing themselves to each other more,” she went on. “This is a battle for free minds.”
Macron has urged lawmakers to (the text seems incomplete here) so that the ban can be implemented in time for the start of the next academic year in September.
“Banning social media for those under 15: this is what scientists suggest, and this is what the vast majority of the French people are demanding,” Macron said after the vote. “Because our children’s brains are not for sale – neither to American platforms nor to Chinese networks. Because their dreams should not be determined by algorithms.”
The concept of setting a minimum age for using these platforms has been gaining traction.
This vote comes a few days after (the text seems incomplete here) said it is contemplating similar restrictions as it strengthens rules to safeguard children from harmful online content and excessive screen time.
Australia introduced a (the text seems incomplete here) on social media for children under 16 in December, restricting access to platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.
France’s health watchdog reports that one out of every two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day (the text seems incomplete here). A December report found that approximately 90% of children aged 12 to 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet, with 58% using them for social media.
The agency warned about the connections between heavy social media use and (the text seems incomplete here), as well as increased exposure to content related to risky behaviors, including self – harm, drug use, and suicide.
Digital’s Bonny Chu and