- French MPs voted to enact a ban on social media for minors into law
- It’s not legal yet; it must first pass through the Senate of France
- Once enacted, under 15s would no longer be able to access social platforms
French MPs have just voted 116-23 in favor of a ban on social media targeting minors – in what is being hailed as a “major step” towards protecting children and teenagers online.
As you can imagine, not everyone is happy with the proposed rules.
The bill has yet to pass – France’s Senate also needs to approve it, and some wonder if it will be blocked under European law after a similar bill was stalled in 2023 – but it follows in the footsteps of similar rules we’ve seen in Australia, Britain and some US states.
In a video broadcast about the bill, French President Emmanuel Macron said: “The emotions of our children and teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, either by American platforms or Chinese algorithms” – clear references to the likes of Instagram, X and TikTok.
Once introduced, these and other social media services must verify the age of French users or prevent them from accessing content. Given that some form of age verification system may come at a European level, France will probably only be the first EU nation to introduce such a ban – e.g. Ireland, Spain and Denmark are also considering such rules.
While many parents, lawmakers and even some children have responded positively, others have had less kind words to share.
Scrolling through (ironically) social media, you’ll find plenty of comments calling this “legislative overreach.” While others are worried about having to share their IDs online — especially after various data leaks involving IDs from countries that have imposed similar rules (such as a Discord breach where hackers stole thousands of government ID photos)
The better of two evils
You don’t have to look far to find reports showing the harmful effects of social media on mental health – some of which come from the companies themselves. Nor to find examples of how platforms can be used and abused by users and their own creators – such as the recent example of Grok being used to create explicit images of women and children, or whistleblower claims that Meta platforms can target users with ads based on their emotional state (something Meta has denied doing, but admitted to investigating across 2017 statements back in the day).
At the same time, I know how valuable social media can be. YouTube and TikTok can be incredible educational platforms, social media can provide access to invaluable news sources, create spaces for people to organize action around an important cause they care about, or simply give people the chance to find a crowd they can fit in that they might not be able to find locally.
But does this good outweigh the bad?
Honestly, I’m not sure. If asked to choose one extreme or the other, I favor a ban – partly because widespread bans can be what forces platforms to finally clean up their act.
I would still prefer a more nuanced approach.
Something that involves identity verification that is secure and private to check age and that someone is human, that addresses the issues plaguing social media that go beyond those that only affect minors to those that also affect users of all ages, and that also empowers parents to make decisions for their child (by allowing access to certain platforms when they think their child is ready).
Although perhaps that is too much to ask of politicians who are not as internet savvy as they should be. Maybe when we see more bans over the coming year they will prove me wrong and find an approach that works for everyone.
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