The European Commission has warned that a French bill that would ban children under the age of 15 from social media would infringe the European Union’s online content law by giving French regulators powers that go beyond the bloc’s legal framework.
In a formal opinion, the Commission said the draft legislation overlaps with the EU's online content law, the Digital Services Act (DSA)
The opinion requires French lawmakers to revise the bill, even as the Commission welcomed efforts to better protect children online.
"We fully share the objective of the French authorities: minors must be better protected online," European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier told the AFP news agency, highlighting France’s key role on the issue.
"The Commission's opinion helps ensure that any national measure is effective and in line with EU law. We must minimise fragmentation of national systems that may create legal uncertainty or weaken enforcement."
In the version first approved by the National Assembly, the bill proposed a broad ban, that applied to all “social network services online provided by a platform”.
The Senate amended the proposal, introducing a system that would divide platforms into two different categories – platforms considered harmful to be placed on a blacklist, and other platforms to remain accessible with approval from a parent.
The Senate passed this version despite warnings from the government that parts of the bill could be incompatible with EU law.
Following the Commission’s opinion, French lawmakers must negotiate a compromise, between the National Assembly and Senate versions of the bill, through a joint committee, whose date has not been set. French A la lumière de cet avis, députés et sénateurs français devront rechercher un
The government had hoped the law could come into force by the start of the school year in September.
The EU is considering a possible bloc-wide ban on social media for children. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has indicated she would support it and suggested there could be a proposal in the summer.
An expert panel is expected to deliver its recommendations on 13 July.
(with AFP)
