By Euronews
Published on
French MPs and senators are voting a final compromise text on the bill on banning social media for under-15s on Tuesday.
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French MP and rapporteur for the bill Laure Miller says French policy-makers would want to impose much stricter constraints on digital platforms, but she claims EU law restricts their room for manoeuvre.
“Really, under European Union law as it stands today, all we’re allowed to do—there’s just this tiny door that opened last summer with the guidelines—is to set a minimum age in national law”, Miller says.
The compromise text was approved behind closed doors by MPs and senators in a joint committee on Monday. Only the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) opposed the text, while socialists abstained.
“Do we decide to impose a blunt, blanket ban on all social media for minors, or do we instead decide – as the European Commission is actually advocating – to ban only the harmful features of social media? We’re more aligned with the latter position”, socialist MP Arthur Delaporte said.
Other EU countries such as Greece, Slovenia and Sweden are planning to restrict social media to minors : Spain considers banning social media for children under 16 and Austria for children under 14.
In parallel, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen called earlier this month for “phased and gradual access for different age ranges” to digital platforms.
Children under the age of 13 would have a time-limited access to social media under the supervision of parents, caregivers or teachers. From the age of 13 on, there would be a gradual access depending on the proof given by the platforms that they are age-appropriate and safe for teenagers.
In addition, the European Commission advocates for a ban of screen for toddlers.
Von der Leyen said the European Commission would present a proposal on the matter “after summer”.
