French lawmakers are engaged in a legislative sprint to reach a compromise on a bill that would ban social media for children under 15. The goal is to see the measures take effect by the start of the new school year in September. On Monday, a joint committee of seven National Assembly members and seven senators met to bridge differences before a potential final vote later this week.
The Brussels Roadblock
The bill, strongly backed by President Emmanuel Macron as a potential legacy measure, has hit a wall in Brussels. The European Commission found the current draft incompatible with EU law, specifically citing overlaps with the Digital Services Act (DSA). Concerns focus on provisions that grant extensive powers to France’s audiovisual and digital communication regulator.
While the legislation also includes a ban on mobile phones in high schools, it cannot be formally passed before August 10 due to mandatory EU notification periods. The Senate argues that while the EU challenged the regulatory powers, it did not explicitly reject the idea of a platform blacklist.
Internal Legislative Friction
A key point of contention remains the scope of the ban. The National Assembly favors a blanket prohibition on all social networking services, whereas the Senate prefers a specific blacklist. Notably, the ban will not extend to online encyclopedias, educational directories, or open-source software platforms.
Health and Social Implications
Health data provided by French watchdogs reveals that 50% of teenagers spend between two and five hours daily on smartphones. The report linked social media usage to reduced self-esteem and exposure to high-risk content, including self-harm and drug use. This legislative push follows several lawsuits filed by French families against TikTok regarding teen suicides.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has recently echoed these concerns, calling for limits on screen exposure—recommending zero screen time for children under three—and criticizing "addictive" features like infinite scrolling. The Commission is expected to present a broader proposal for all 27 member states in the near future.
