PARIS — French lawmakers are negotiating a compromise on a bill to ban social media for children under 15. The bill aims to enter into force at the start of the new school year in September.

Seven members of the National Assembly and seven senators were scheduled to meet in a joint committee on Monday to seek an agreement. A vote on the agreement could take place later in the week if consensus is reached. If an agreement is reached, the bill could be presented to both chambers for a final vote as early as Tuesday.

The National Assembly voted to prohibit all online social networking services for children under 15. Senators proposed establishing a blacklist of banned platforms rather than a total prohibition on social networking services. The ban excludes online encyclopedias, educational or scientific directories, and platforms for the development and sharing of open-source software.

The bill includes a ban on the use of mobile phones in high schools. French President Emmanuel Macron supports the social media ban for children under 15.

The bill was initially devised to comply with the EU Digital Services Act. The European Commission stated that the proposed legislation overlaps with the EU Digital Services Act and requested amendments. The European Commission stated that the latest version of the bill was not fully compatible with EU law.

The Senate stated that the European Commission did not challenge the blacklist approach itself. Senate claimed that provisions granting excessive power to the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication were the primary issue identified by the European Commission.

he said in a statement, "Everyone must rise to the importance of the issue at stake, which is nothing less than protecting the physical and mental health of our children." The law cannot be passed before August 10 due to the notification period required by EU law.

France’s health watchdog reported that one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on a smartphone. A December report by France’s health watchdog stated that 90% of children aged 12 to 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet. The December report stated that 58% of children aged 12 to 17 use their smartphones for social networks. The report identified reduced self-esteem and increased exposure to content associated with self-harm, drug use, and suicide as harmful effects of social network use.

The proposed law would require social media platforms to implement age-verification mechanisms to prevent underage access. The French data protection authority, CNIL, would be tasked with monitoring compliance. Penalties for non-compliant platforms could include fines of up to 6% of global annual revenue. The bill also calls for digital literacy education to be expanded in schools to help children navigate online risks. Lawmakers emphasized that the goal is to balance children’s right to digital access with the need to protect their well-being. The government plans to launch a public awareness campaign ahead of the law’s implementation to inform parents and guardians about the new restrictions.