French lawmakers have passed a bill banning social media use for individuals under 15 years old, a move spearheaded by President Emmanuel Macron to protect children from excessive screen time and addictive algorithms. The legislation, which also includes a ban on mobile phones in high schools, aims to come into effect for new accounts by September 2026.

• The National Assembly adopted the text by a vote of 130 to 21, and it will now proceed to the Senate.
• France would be the second country to implement such a ban, following Australia's ban for under-16s in December.
• The bill stipulates that "access to an online social networking service provided by an online platform is prohibited for minors under the age of 15."
• Former prime minister Gabriel Attal, who leads Macron's Renaissance party, anticipates the ban could require platforms to deactivate non-compliant existing accounts by December 31.