The French Parliament definitively adopted on Tuesday a bill banning social networks for children under 15, a first in Europe, which must come into force in September to protect the health of children and adolescents.
After the senators earlier in the day in the afternoon, the deputies adopted by 279 votes to 81 this reform, a promise from President Emmanuel Macron and a flagship measure at the end of his mandate.
It provides for the implementation by platforms of age verification systems, which are the subject of debate.
“France is leading the way in Europe for the protection of our children and our adolescents. We continue,” reacted Emmanuel Macron.
The entry into force is planned quickly: from September 1 for new accounts. For existing accounts, the ban would apply “upon the expiration of a period of four months”, i.e. January 1, 2027.
“We French people will all have to prove our age for four months. If you are under 15, the account will be closed,” Minister for Digital Anne Le Hénanff explained to journalists.
While parliamentarians doubt the possibility of implementing the ban so quickly, the minister insisted that it could be “operational” on time.
The text also provides for the ban on cell phones in high schools, as is already the case in schools and colleges. Exceptions may be provided for by the establishment’s internal regulations.
Recently, warnings have increased about the harmful effects of social networks on children and adolescents, which capture their attention and can expose them to problematic content.
France is closely watched by other European countries considering similar legislation.
The text does not provide for any sanctions for children or parents. Concretely, it will be up to the platforms to set up an age verification system, or even several simultaneously to give users the choice.
The European Commission also presented a pan-European age verification application in April, and private solutions are also being developed.
But the socialist deputy Arthur Delaporte criticized to the AFP a “great vagueness on the mechanisms of age verification”, for a text which will come into force “in haste, with risks of side effects, of circumvention”.
His group will “probably” refer the matter to the Constitutional Council, he added, regretting that the networks concerned are not further distinguished.
End of anonymity
La France insoumise (radical left) criticized “a law to end anonymity on the internet”.
An opinion from the National Health Security Agency (ANSES) clearly warned of the danger of social networks for the mental health of adolescents, points out the Renaissance rapporteur (presidential party) of the text in the Assembly, Laure Miller, which will allow us to argue on “the proportionality of the measure”.
The bill provides for some exceptions to the ban for “online encyclopedias” or “digital projects with educational purposes”.
Concerning YouTube and WhatsApp, which are widely used, Ms. Miller specifies that these platforms will have to set up age verification for the part assimilated to a social network (sharing channels, comments, etc.). Simple viewing of videos, or interpersonal messaging, would not be affected by the ban according to her.
Throughout the examination in Parliament, the debates focused in particular on the precise wording to be adopted, with one imperative: that the text complies with European law, otherwise it would not be able to be applied.
In an opinion delivered two weeks ago, the European Commission directed French parliamentarians, who finally agreed on a text following its recommendations.
She also herself announced last week her intention to establish “progressive and graduated” access for minors to social networks.
An expert committee has recommended a ban on under-13s, but EU countries would be free to introduce a later ban.
For Ms. Miller, French law would thus be “in line” with future European legislation.
