France will make a fresh attempt to protect children from excessive screen time, proposing a ban on social media access for children under 15 by next September, according to a draft law seen by Agence France-Presse.
The initiative is backed by President Emmanuel Macron, who said earlier this month that parliament should start debating such a proposal in January. Australia this month imposed a social media ban on under-16s, in a world first.
“Many studies and reports now confirm the various risks caused by excessive use of digital screens by adolescents,” the French draft says.
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Children with unfettered online access were exposed to “inappropriate content” and could suffer from cyber-harassment or experience changes to their sleep patterns, the government said.
The draft law has two articles. One would make illegal “the provision by an online platform of an online social media service to a minor under 15”. The second calls for a ban of mobile phone use in secondary schools.
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Australia’s under-16 social media ban due to come into effect
Australia’s under-16 social media ban due to come into effect
Macron has said that the digital protection of minors is a priority for his government, but enforcement and compliance with international law have been issues.