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France is planning to ban children under 15 from social media and to restrict cellphone use in high schools starting next year, local media Le Monde reported on Tuesday.
The proposal aims to curb excessive screen time and shield minors from online risks such as inappropriate content. President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly cited social media as a contributing factor to violence among young people.
“Many studies and reports now confirm the various risks caused by excessive use of digital screens by adolescents,” a draft law stated, according to Le Monde.
The document added that children with unrestrained access online have been exposed to “inappropriate content” and could suffer from cyber-harassment or experience changes to their sleep patterns, according to the outlet.
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The proposal follows Australia’s lead after the country introduced a world-first ban on social media for children under 16 years old in December, restricting access to platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
Macron is aiming for Parliament to debate the proposal in January, with a potential start date of September next year, according to the local outlet.
In June, Macron said he wanted to push for similar regulations across the European Union (EU), following a fatal school stabbing in eastern France that shocked the nation in April, Reuters reported.
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Macron has previously taken numerous steps to protect minors digitally. However, technical challenges, including EU legal constraints and weak enforcement, have limited the effectiveness of such measures.
Cellphones have already been banned in French elementary and middle schools since 2018, according to Le Monde.
In 2023, France reportedly attempted to pass a law calling for a “digital legal age,” which required parental consent for social media users under 15 years old. The law, however, was blocked by EU regulations.
In November, the European Parliament urged the EU to set minimum social media ages to tackle adolescent mental health issues, though final decisions rest with its member states, Reuters reported.
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