"Let's Protect Children from Screens": France Follows Australia in Pushing for Youth SNS Restrictions

Set to Take Effect from the New School Year in September
SNS Restrictions for Teenagers Poised to Spread Across Europe

Following Australia, France is set to push for a comprehensive restriction on the use of social media services (SNS) by teenagers under the age of 15 starting from the new school year in September. In addition, the government is considering expanding the current ban on mobile phone use-which currently applies only to certain grades-to include high schools. On December 31, Yonhap News, citing local media such as Le Monde, reported that the French National Assembly will begin discussions on January 19 regarding an amendment to the Digital Economy Trust Act, which includes provisions related to the use of SNS by teenagers.

President Emmanuel Macron also emphasized in his recent New Year's Eve speech that "he will protect children and teenagers from social media and smartphone screens." Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

This amendment would make it illegal for online platforms to provide social media services to minors under the age of 15, and would impose a requirement on platform operators to implement reliable age verification. Violations would be subject to sanctions, and accounts already created by users under 15 would be subject to suspension.

The regulations would apply to all SNS services as defined by the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA defines social media as platforms that provide features such as chatting, posting, video sharing, and content recommendations based on user connections and communication. As a result, platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are expected to be directly affected. The bill also includes a provision banning mobile phone use in high schools. Currently, France officially bans mobile phone use from kindergarten through middle school, but there have been ongoing concerns that the ban is not effectively enforced in practice.

In particular, the French government cited concerns that SNS exposes teenagers to explicit content, cyberbullying, and addictive algorithms as the background for promoting this bill. The bill's explanatory statement specifies, "Numerous studies have confirmed that excessive use of digital screens has a negative impact on the mental health and learning abilities of teenagers." President Emmanuel Macron also stated in his recent New Year's Eve speech that "he will protect children and teenagers from social media and smartphone screens."

Australia has legally banned the use of social media by teenagers under the age of 16 since December last year, and Denmark and Malaysia are also pushing for legislation to strengthen age restrictions. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

This measure by France is in line with an international trend. Australia has legally banned the use of social media by teenagers under the age of 16 since December last year, and Denmark and Malaysia are also pushing for legislation to strengthen age restrictions. Germany is also reportedly considering measures to restrict social media use by minors, led by its Digital Minister. Some observers believe that France's decision could accelerate discussions on SNS regulation across Europe. However, debates are expected to continue regarding the effectiveness of age verification methods and concerns over personal data protection.