PARIS: French lawmakers on Monday (Jan 26) have been set to vote on draft laws to ban social media for under-15s, an effort championed by President Emmanuel Macron as a strategy to shield youngsters from extreme display time.
The laws, which additionally offers for a ban on cell phones in excessive faculties, follows Australia banning social media for under-16s in December, a world first.
As social media has grown all over the world, so has concern that an excessive amount of display time is arresting youngster improvement and contributing to declining psychological well being in minors.
“The feelings of our youngsters and youngsters will not be on the market or to be manipulated, both by American platforms or Chinese language algorithms,” Macron mentioned in a video broadcast on Saturday.
The French invoice proposed by centrist lawmakers will probably be examined from 4pm (11pm, Singapore time) and, barring any surprises, is anticipated to be given the inexperienced gentle by the decrease home, the Nationwide Meeting. The laws would then go to the Senate higher home.
Authorities need to transfer rapidly, with measures to be enforced from the beginning of the 2026 college yr for brand new accounts.
Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who leads lawmakers from Macron’s Renaissance occasion within the decrease home, mentioned on Monday he hoped the invoice can be handed by the Senate in mid-February.
“Which means that in a month’s time, it could possibly be adopted and that on Sep 1, the ban will come into pressure for brand new accounts,” he added.
He added that “social media platforms will then have till Dec 31 to deactivate present accounts” that don’t adjust to the age restrict.
