French teen social media ban hits EU legal hurdle
Lawmakers are seeking a compromise on a ban for under-15s, but the European Commission says the draft overlaps with EU digital rules.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
French lawmakers are trying to salvage a plan to bar children under 15 from social media before the new school year, after the European Commission said the draft does not fully fit with EU law. The dispute matters because France is attempting to move quickly on child online safety while Brussels is warning that parts of the bill may collide with the bloc’s Digital Services Act.
Seven members of the National Assembly and seven senators were due to meet in a joint committee Monday to seek a compromise. If they agree, the measure could return to both chambers for a vote as early as Tuesday, though EU notification rules mean the law cannot be adopted before Aug. 10.
President Emmanuel Macron has strongly supported the proposal. It is part of a broader bill that would also ban mobile phone use in high schools.
Dispute over how broad the ban should be
The main split between the two chambers concerns which services should be covered. The National Assembly backed a ban on all online social networking services for children under 15, while senators favored creating a blacklist of platforms.
The proposal would not apply to online encyclopedias, educational or scientific directories, or services used to develop and share open-source software. Lawmakers had sought to design the measure around the EU Digital Services Act, which sets online safety obligations across the bloc.
The European Commission said it shares France’s goal of protecting minors but found that the draft overlaps with EU rules and asked French authorities to revise it. The Senate said the Commission did not challenge the blacklist approach itself, arguing that the EU objections concern provisions that would give too much authority to France’s audiovisual and digital communications regulator.
“Everyone must rise to the importance of the issue at stake, which is nothing less than protecting the physical and mental health of our children,” the Senate said in a statement.
Health concerns drive the push
France’s health watchdog said one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on a smartphone. In a December report, it said about 90% of children ages 12 to 17 use smartphones every day to access the internet, and 58% use them for social networks.
The watchdog also cited harms linked to social media use, including lower self-esteem and greater exposure to content connected with risky behavior, such as self-harm, drug use and suicide. Several families in France have sued TikTok over teen suicides they say were tied to harmful content.
Age limits gain support abroad
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called earlier this month for restrictions on children’s social media use. A special EU panel studying the issue recommended blocking access for children under 13 until technology companies can show their platforms are safe.
Von der Leyen also said children under 3 should have no screen exposure and pointed to infinite scrolling as an addictive feature that technology companies need to address. The Commission is expected to produce a proposal for the EU’s 27 member states to consider.
Other countries have also moved toward age limits. Australia, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Indonesia and others have passed restrictions on children under 16 or 15 using platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.