A reconciliation committee of France's Parliament agreed on Monday to a bill that would ban social media access for children under 15 years of age. French lawmakers are expected to approve the legislation on Tuesday, making France the first European country to set a digital age limit.
President Emmanuel Macron has stated that he wants the ban to be in force by early September to coincide with the start of the school year. The push for the bill comes amid growing social media safety concerns and an August 10 EU deadline, with reports indicating that one in two French teenagers spend up to five hours a day on their phones.
This move puts France at the forefront of similar efforts within the European Union. France would follow Australia, which in December enacted the world's first ban for those under 16 on platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.