The decrease home of the French Parliament authorised within the early hours of immediately a invoice that bans entry to social media by youngsters below 15 to guard their well being. Supported by the federal government and authorised by the National Assembly with 130 votes in favor and 21 in opposition to, the invoice will now go to the Senate for consideration. If definitively adopted, France can be the primary European nation to impose such an age restrict for accessing social media. This measure is a precedence for President Emmanuel Macron, who outlined tonight’s vote as an “important step”.
«Banning social networks for these below 15 is what students suggest and what the French are massively asking for. After fruitful work with the federal government, the National Assembly stated sure. It is a vital stage”, he writes in a message published on in France, in the Republic and in its values. France, a pioneer in the regulation of platforms since 2018, continues to be so today, becoming the first country in Europe to commit to this path. From September 1st, our children and adolescents will finally be protected.
In the past, the French government had passed a law banning the use of telephones in all primary and middle schools. The Assembly vote came just days after the British government said it would consider banning young teenagers from using social media, as part of toughening laws aimed at protecting children from harmful content and excessive screen time.
The French bill was formulated to comply with the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which imposes a series of rigorous requirements aimed at ensuring the safety of Internet users. In November, European lawmakers called for EU-wide action to protect minors online, including a bloc-wide minimum age of 16 and a ban on the most harmful practices.
The protection of minors online «is a priority for the European Commission. And the French authorities have the right to establish a digital age verification system that targets its citizens,” confirmed European Commission spokesperson for digital services Thomas Regnier, during the press briefing in Brussels. However, he adds, the DSA and the European Commission «are the only bodies authorized to impose additional obligations on large platforms, as defined by the DSA. Therefore, a law and a digital majority, aimed at citizens, need to be established in France to impose additional obligations on large online platforms.”
https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/francia-primo-si-legge-che-vieta-social-under-15-AIBAVF5