- French lawmakers voted to ban social media for children under 15, making France the first EU country with such a law.
- The ban is backed by President Macron, who signed it into law, aiming to protect children's mental health.
- Similar restrictions have been or are being introduced in Australia, the UK, Spain, Greece, and Denmark.
- The law requires age verification, but implementation details remain unclear; France's Arcom will enforce it.
- Parents and teens expressed mixed reactions, with some welcoming the ban but questioning its effectiveness and potential impact on access to information.
- Critics, including Amnesty International, argue that bans alone are insufficient; they call for changes to platforms' business models and addictive features.
- The law does not include earlier proposals for banning advertising that promotes social media to children.