French lawmakers vote on social media ban for children

PARIS, July 21 - French lawmakers vote on Tuesday on a law that aims to ban social media access for children under the age of 15, joining countries around the world in considering a move unpopular with many teenagers but supported by some parents and teachers.

If it is adopted, France would follow Australia, where the world's first ban for under-16s on platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube came into force in December, as concerns grow over the impact social media has on the health and safety of minors.

President Emmanuel Macron, who in April urged young people to switch off their phones and read in order to become better citizens, wants the law in place in time for the start of the next academic year.

France's draft legislation, which senators and deputies agreed on at committee level late on Monday, requires social media platforms to set up systems of age verification approved by the French privacy regulator.

The vote in parliament is due in the mid- to late afternoon.

With the proposed legislation, children younger than 15 would not be allowed to open a social media account from September 1. Social media platforms would have another four months to close accounts already open.

Online encyclopaedias and educational websites would remain available to children and teenagers.

Social media platforms generally oppose blanket bans and stress they already have measures to protect younger users, including age restrictions. But they have also pledged to comply where governments enact bans.

Countries across Europe and beyond are considering ways to restrict social media after becoming increasingly aware of the risks to children.

The European Commission is working on its own regulations to rein in social media's business models to protect young people, and it will have a say on whether France's bill respects existing European legislation.

"We left you in this jungle and it robbed you of your attention," Macron told teenagers at a high school in April, speaking of the lack of rules on social media. "We need to slow down and help you become adults, and above all citizens."

"That's why what we want to do is say that before 15 years old, no more social media," he said. REUTERS