In the text of the bill, it is stated that "access to social networks <...> is prohibited for minors under the age of 15." As noted by Le Monde, this wording does not impose direct obligations on social networks, as the regulation of their operations is the prerogative of the European Commission. However, this provision is supported by the French government, which hopes that the bill will compel platforms to implement age verification.
The bill also proposes to extend the ban on the use of mobile phones, introduced in 2018 in colleges, to high schools. This means that the ban will also apply to students over the age of 15.
At the initiative of Emmanuel Macron, the government has begun an expedited review process, which includes only one reading in each chamber of parliament instead of two.
Gabriel Attal, former Prime Minister and head of the president's party "Renaissance" faction in the National Assembly, expressed hope that the Senate will pass the bill by mid-February. If the law is adopted, a ban on creating new accounts for users under 15 will come into effect on September 1, and by December 31, platforms will have to delete existing profiles of teenagers.
This position is also supported by Macron, who stated: "The minds of our children must not be sold to either American or Chinese platforms. <...> By September 1, our children and teenagers will be protected, and I will ensure this," he wrote on the social network X after the vote.
Photo on the main page is illustrative: Stephane De Sakutin / AFP.
