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Social media applications including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook are seen on a smartphone screen / Photo by Reuters via Yonhap News Agency

France's parliament passed a bill on July 21 (local time) banning social media use for children and teenagers under 15, making it the first European nation to do so, according to reports from Reuters and AP.

French President Emmanuel Macron plans to enforce the law starting this September when the new school year begins. Previously, President Macron emphasized that restrictions on social media use are necessary to protect minors and cultivate proper citizenship.

Starting September 1, opening social media accounts will be completely banned for children and teenagers under 15, and existing accounts will be closed after a four-month grace period.

Also, platform companies must introduce age verification methods approved by France's data protection regulator.

Anne Le Hénanff, France's Minister Delegate for AI and Digital Affairs, praised the move, saying, "France has paved the way as the first country in Europe to introduce a digital age majority system."

In December, Australia became the first in the world to ban social media use for children and teenagers under 16. Platforms targeting teenagers, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, must block access by minors, and failure to comply will result in fines of up to A$49.5 million (about 51.3 billion KRW).

Similar regulatory discussions are spreading rapidly across Europe. Following Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's proposal to restrict social media access for those under 16, Denmark and Greece also announced plans with similar details. It is reported that measures to ban social media use for children and teenagers are under review in the UK as well.

Social media platform companies opposed a total ban, pointing out that age restrictions and minor protection measures were already in place, but stated they would follow the legal decisions of each government.

                                                                                                          Lee Jeong-eun