French ‌politicians approved on Tuesday a ban on social media access for children under the age of 15, ‌as concerns grow around the world over the impact social media have on the health and safety of ​minors.France becomes the first in Europe to follow Australia, where the world’s first ban for under-16s on platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube came into force in December.“France opens the way by being the ​first country in Europe to adopt a digital majority,” Anne Le Hénanff, junior minister for AI, told senators.Both ⁠houses of parliament – the senate and national assembly – adopted the ban on ‌Tuesday.With the new legislation, children younger than 15 would not be allowed to ‌open a social media account from ​September 1st. Social media platforms would have another four months to close accounts already open. ⁠The platforms would also need ⁠to use age verification ​approved by the French privacy regulator.Social media platforms generally oppose blanket bans and stress they already have measures to protect younger users, including age restrictions. But they have also pledged to comply where governments enact bans.In Ireland, Tánaiste Simon Harris said earlier this month a blanket ban on children under 16 using social media remains the Government’s favoured approach, contrasting with the European Commission’s push for a staged approach with a ban only for under-13s.Harris said the threshold should be linked to Ireland’s digital age of consent, which is 16.A recent poll by an Irish-owned telecoms provider, Pure Telecom, found that three out of four adults in Ireland are in favour of a ban for under-16s. Former prime minister Keir Starmer had announced a UK ban for under-16s in June before being replaced in the role by Andy Burnham earlier this week. It is unclear how Burnham’s cabinet may proceed with the ban.President ‌Emmanuel ​Macron, who in April urged young people to switch off their phones and read in order to become better citizens, wants ⁠the law in place in ​time for the start of the next ​academic year.“We left you in this jungle and it robbed you of your attention,” Macron told teenagers at an event in April, speaking of ‌the lack of rules on social media. “We need to slow down and help you become adults, and ​above all citizens.”“That’s why what we want to do ​is say that before 15 years old, no more social media,” he said. – Additional reporting: Reuters