France first European country to ban social media access for under-15s
Summary
France's parliament has passed a law banning children under 15 from using social media platforms like TikTok, making it the first European country to do so. The government aims to start enforcing the ban by September 2024, with full restrictions on existing accounts by 2027, to protect children’s mental health online.Key Facts
- The ban applies to children under 15 years old and covers major social media apps such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.
- New accounts created by under-15s will be blocked starting September 1, 2024. Existing accounts will be blocked from January 2027.
- Age verification tools will be used to enforce the ban, requiring everyone in France to prove their age for social media access.
- Exceptions are made for educational sites and online encyclopedias.
- The ban comes after studies showed social media can harm adolescents’ mental health, especially girls.
- The law also includes a ban on mobile phones in high schools starting at the new school year.
- Some lawmakers had different opinions on how strict the ban should be, but the final decision was a full ban without parental consent.
- The European Commission supports gradual age limits and has developed an age verification app for use across EU countries.
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