France has become the first EU country to ban social media access for under 15s. The National Assembly passed a Bill on Tuesday evening that will prevent children using platforms such as TikTok and snapchat. The Bill also bans the use of mobile phones in high schools.
In a message on X, a jubilant President Emmanuel Macron hailed the legislation and expressed his gratitude to MPs, who approved it by 279 votes to 81. ‘It’s up to the Constitutional Council to rule, then on to action to make this measure concrete and protect our children online,’ he said.
Macron would like the legislation to take effect from September, the start of the new school year, but first the Bill will be examined by the Constitutional Council, the highest constitutional authority in the Republic.
The addiction of French teenagers to their smartphones was laid bare by a recent study that found that 50 per cent spend between two and five hours a day on them. Ninety per cent of teenagers use their smartphones to access the internet.
When the President boasts that ‘we will keep on going’ he means it
