France has become the first member of the European Union to approve a nationwide ban preventing children under the age of 15 from using social media, as lawmakers seek to curb the growing impact of harmful online content on young people.

The legislation cleared both houses of Parliament on Tuesday, marking one of President Emmanuel Macron’s signature domestic initiatives during his second term. In addition to restricting social media access for younger teens, the measure also prohibits mobile phone use in French high schools.

The vote comes amid mounting concern over the influence of social media on children’s mental health. In recent years, several French families have filed lawsuits against TikTok, alleging that harmful content on the platform contributed to teenage suicides. Child safety advocates and many parents welcomed Parliament’s decision.

“We’ve been campaigning for this bill from the start because, frankly, we have no other option, no other way to counter tech giants,” said Gaëlle Berbonde, a 52-year-old who lives in the Paris region. “The only thing we can do is protect our children, just as we protect our children from drinking alcohol.”

Berbonde told The Associated Press that her daughter received her first smartphone while in seventh grade. Although the family used parental controls to supervise her online activity, they were unfamiliar with TikTok and its content. Within months, they discovered their daughter had begun self-harming and was battling anorexia and depression. After spending a year and a half in the hospital, she has since recovered and is now 16 years old.

The bill represents one of the final major legislative accomplishments of Macron’s presidency before his term concludes next year. The French president hopes the new restrictions will take effect when schools reopen in September, although the legislation is expected to undergo constitutional review first, a process that could postpone its rollout.

The new law does not apply to educational resources such as online encyclopedias or scientific and academic directories.

Opposition lawmakers from the left-wing France Unbowed party voted against the measure, contending that its legality under the French Constitution remains uncertain. They also argued that enforcing the law would be extremely difficult and warned it could effectively eliminate online anonymity.

Ines Legendre, a legal advisor for the online protection group e-Enfance, cautioned that implementation will take time and will require significant technical solutions.

“We’ll also have to address the issue of existing accounts for those under 15. How do we identify them? How do we suspend them? And then there’s the question of age verification for all new accounts that will come into effect,” she said.

Data from France’s national health authority underscores the widespread use of smartphones among young people. According to the agency, half of all teenagers spend between two and five hours each day using their smartphones. A report released in December found that about 90% of children ages 12 to 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet, while 58% regularly use them for social networking.

Health officials also warned that frequent use of social media can negatively affect young users by lowering self-esteem and increasing exposure to content promoting dangerous behaviors, including self-harm, drug abuse, and suicide.

Before the legislation received final approval, lawmakers revised the proposal after the European Commission concluded that portions of the original bill conflicted with the European Union’s Digital Services Act, which regulates online platforms across the bloc. Following negotiations Monday, Parliament agreed on amended language that aligned with EU rules, paving the way for Tuesday’s final vote.

{Matzav.com}