France moves to shield youths with under-15 social media ban
France's National Assembly approved a bill banning social media for minors under 15 and prohibiting mobile phones in high schools; the measure, championed by Macron, now goes to the Senate and would take effect from the 2026 school year, with platforms required to deactivate existing noncompliant accounts by year-end once EU-wide age verification is in place; critics call it digital paternalism, while health authorities cite risks like cyberbullying and mental health impacts.