Name: France proposes social media ban, following Australian model
Uploaded: 2026-01-01T18:48:52.295Z
Duration: 1 min 50 s
Description: For several years, the French government has explored ways to limit teenagers’ access to social media due to its harmful impact on mental health, and new guidance from the European Commission could now make it easier for France to pass legislation on the matter.

For several years, the French government has explored ways to limit teenagers’ access to social media due to its harmful impact on mental health, and new guidance from the European Commission could now make it easier for France to pass legislation on the matter.

Paris

French lawmakers are considering a bill that would restrict social media access for minors, citing concerns about cyberbullying, sleep issues, and exposure to inappropriate content. The proposal includes the use of age verification technology, already implemented in Australia, to enforce age limits for social media platforms.

The bill, which will be reviewed by the Council of State on January 8th, also suggests extending existing phone bans from middle schools to high schools. The initiative has received criticism from major tech companies, but supporters argue it is necessary to protect young people online.

France proposes social media ban, following Australian model

Going without any social media? For this young boy, that's taking things too far. You need to be able to have some of it. It's part of our lives. Teens use it to talk to their friends and family and all that. They can watch videos, be entertained. And his mom pretty much agrees. He manages his social media use pretty well. He knows when to stop. So for us, it's not a problem. But across the way, on the other side of this ice skating rink, this father and daughter disagree on the issue. She's against a social media ban. It would be a bit bizarre for us to have it be forbidden. I think it would create a void in our lives. But her father is all for it. I don't stop explaining to her that actually all the time she spends on social media is time that she's losing meeting others, going out, talking with her friends, or seeing films, theatre and other stuff. So we try to limit it. Cyberbullying, trouble sleeping, exposure to inappropriate content. French authorities want to pass a law to keep teens and children from having access to social media. But how would it work? Well, the technology already exists. Naya, who's 14 years old, decided to test it out. Put your face into the frame until the circle is green. With a video selfie and an ID card, the app's verdict is quick. Naya is too young. She does not meet the age requirements. The system is already being used in Australia, much to the displeasure of tech firms like Meta and YouTube. They've criticised the ban. The French bill, which will be reviewed by the Council of State January 8th, also proposes no phone rules in high schools, which is already the case in middle schools.

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