French lawmakers have passed a bill that would ban children under the age of 15 from using social media, a measure championed by President Emmanuel Macron to combat excessive screen time and mental health risks. The legislation, which also includes a ban on mobile phones in high schools, aims to protect teenagers from addictive algorithms and harmful content like cyberbullying. If approved by the Senate, the ban is intended to take effect at the start of the 2026 school year, with platforms required to deactivate non-compliant accounts by the end of that year. While the move follows a similar ban in Australia, critics argue it represents a form of “digital paternalism” that may be difficult to enforce effectively.
Date: January 27, 2026. Source: theguardian.com