**France just voted to ban kids under 15 from social media, but Australia's ban shows how hard that is to enforce

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OVERVIEW: As social media algorithms come under increasing scrutiny, policies to ban children from services such as Facebook, X, YouTube, and Snapchat are gaining popularity across the globe. However, as France becomes the latest country to attempt harsh legislation, data suggests that the impact of Australia's ban has been limited.

France's National Assembly voted 130 to 21 on Monday to ban children under age 15 from social media. President Emmanuel Macron, who strongly supported the legislation, wants to push the law into effect before the new school year begins in September. The bill also bans smartphone use in high schools but exempts online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia, educational and scientific directories, and open-source software platforms such as GitHub.

Although the bill must still undergo discussion in the Senate over the coming weeks, it enjoys unusually broad bipartisan support in France's traditionally divided government. Macron hopes to fast-track the legislation and pass it before similar laws emerge in other European countries considering them.