French lawmakers approve social media ban for children under 15

France has become the first European Union country to approve a sweeping social media ban for children under the age of 15.

It joins an increasing number of countries taking steps to restrict access amid growing concerns worldwide over the harmful effects of digital content on youngsters.

Lawmakers passed the bill by 279 to 81 votes on Tuesday, with one party saying it will be impossible to enforce.

“This law is not only hypocritical, it is dangerous. You know that these measures will be circumvented and that they are inapplicable,” said Louis Boyard of the far-left France Unbowed party.

“It's an excuse, an excuse to impose the end of anonymity on the Internet, to impose more control by the European Union on the freedom that is the Internet,” he said.

The bill also bans the use of mobile phones in high schools.

While children’s advocates and parents have applauded the vote, it is likely to face legal challenges from opponents to determine if the bill complies with the French Constitution.

Under the measure, children younger ​than 15 will not be allowed to open a social media account from ​September and age verification will be required on all new accounts. Platforms will have another four months to close accounts that are already open.

The legislation is one of the final major measures adopted under French President Emmanuel Macron before he leaves office next year.

The ban won’t cover online encyclopaedias, educational or scientific directories, or platforms for the development and sharing of open-source software.

According to France’s health watchdog, one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on a smartphone.

In a report published in December, it said that some 90 per cent of children between 12 and 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet, with 58 per cent of them using their devices for social networks.

The report highlighted a range of harmful effects stemming from the use of social networks, including reduced self-esteem and increased exposure to content associated with risky behaviours such as self-harm, drug use and suicide.