French senators back social media ban for children under 15

PARIS, July 21 (Reuters) - French Senators approved on Tuesday a ban on social media access for children under the age of 15, as concerns grow around ​the world over the impact social media have on the health and safety of minors.

If the lower house of parliament, as expected, also adopts the draft legislation later on Tuesday, France would follow Australia, where the world's first ban for under-16s on platforms including Facebook, ​Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube came into force in December.

"France opens the way by being the first country in Europe to adopt a digital majority," Anne Le Hénanff, junior minister for AI, told senators.

President Emmanuel Macron, who in April urged young people to switch off their phones and read in order to become better citizens, wants the law in place in time for the start of the next academic year.    

With the new legislation, children younger than 15 would not be allowed to open a social media account from September 1. Social media platforms would have another four months to close accounts already open. The platforms would also need to use age verification approved by the French privacy regulator.

Social media platforms generally oppose blanket bans and stress they already have measures to protect younger users, including age restrictions. But they have also pledged to comply where governments enact bans.

The European Commission is working on its own regulations to rein in social media across Europe to protect young people, and it will have a say on whether France's bill respects existing European legislation.

"We left you in this jungle and it robbed you of your attention," Macron told teenagers at an event in April, speaking of the lack of rules ​on social media. "We need to slow down and help you become adults, and above all citizens."

"That's why what we want to do is say that ​before 15 years old, no more social media," he said.

(Writing by Ingrid Melander;Editing by Alison Williams and Hugh Lawson)