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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nAfter approval by the Senate earlier on Tuesday, members of the National Assembly passed the bill by 279 votes to 81.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A growing number of countries are taking steps to restrict social media access amid multiplying warnings over its harmful effects on children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ban was to be introduced in two stages, with under-15s blocked from creating new accounts from 1 September. The ban would apply to existing accounts from January 2027, according to the legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The digital minister, Anne Le H\u00e9nanff, said before the vote that the timeline was realistic, \u201cbecause age-verification tools already exist\u201d and others are still in the works, and the onus was on the platforms to impose the rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor four months, all of us in France will have to prove our age,\u201d she told journalists. \u201cIf someone is under 15, the account will be closed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The minister also gave assurances that users\u2019 personal data would be protected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enforcing the measure by September would ensure that one provision of the bill \u2013 a ban on mobile phones in high schools \u2013 takes effect at the beginning of the French school year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
France\u2019s public health watchdog last year said platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram were harmful to adolescents, particularly girls, though this was not the sole reason for their declining mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lawmakers agreed on the need for regulation but the two chambers had disagreed on the approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
French senators had opted for a two-tier system distinguishing between blacklisted platforms flagged as harmful to a child\u2019s development, and those that could still be accessed with parental consent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the lower house\u2019s blanket ban prevailed, despite criticism from some on the left over the age verification process, the speed of its implementation and risks of circumvention as well as privacy concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exceptions to the ban are provided for sites such as online encyclopedias and educational platforms, and the text does not provide for any penalties for children or parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe major platforms are, in my view, largely ready,\u201d assembly member Laure Miller told AFP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The blacklisting system would have taken more time, including fresh consultations with the European Commission on the criteria, and carried a \u201csmall risk\u201d of non-compliance with European law, said centrist senator Catherine Morin-Desailly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The European Commission has been considering a social media ban after a push by member states, including France, Greece and Spain, for limiting access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last week, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the commission, said children should have \u201cphased and gradual access\u201d to social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The European Commission has also unveiled an age verification app that EU member states, including France, have begun testing in recent months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After Macron\u2019s government suspended pensions reforms last year, a social media ban could be his last major domestic change before he steps down next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n