French MPs have passed a bill banning under-15s from accessing social media, becoming the latest government to push forward restrictions to shield children from harmful content.
The national assembly adopted the bill by a vote of 130 to 21 after a late-night session, AFP reported.
It will now go to the senate, France’s upper house, before it could become law. MPs are hoping the ban will come into force before the new school year begins in the autumn.
The move follows Australia’s landmark legislation, which bans under-16s from social media, that came into effect in December.
The French ban targets popular apps including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.
Those companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the legislation, but they have previously said their platforms have long-standing safety features aimed at protecting young users.
French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the move as a “major step” to shield children, urging the senate to pass the bill into law in a post on X.
“I have asked the government to fast-track the process,” Mr Macron wrote. “Because our children’s brains are not for sale. Not to American platforms, nor to Chinese networks.”
Australia became the world’s first democracy to require social media platforms to keep children under 16 off their services. Policymakers in Indonesia, Denmark and Brazil say they are planning similar moves.
