France's lower national assembly approved a bill banning social media use for children under 15 by 130 to 21 votes. President Emmanuel Macron called it a "major step" to protect young people from too much screen time and mental health risks. The bill also bans mobile phones in high schools. It will now go to the Senate before becoming law. Macron stated, "The emotions of our children and teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, either by American platforms or Chinese algorithms." Authorities plan to enforce the ban starting the 2026 school year for new accounts. Existing accounts will have to be closed by December 31. Gabriel Attal, leader of Macron’s Renaissance party in the lower house, hopes the Senate will approve the bill by mid-February so it can begin on September 1. He said the law would also fight the mental health effects of social media and "a number of powers that, through social media platforms, want to colonise minds." France's public health agency ANSES warned that apps like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram harm adolescents, especially girls, causing issues like cyberbullying and exposure to violence. The bill excludes educational platforms and encyclopedias. The ban depends on an age verification system under development at the European level. Critics, like far-left MP Arnaud Saint-Martin, called the ban "digital paternalism" and an "overly simplistic" solution. Child protection groups want platforms held accountable rather than banning young users. Macron also supports banning mobile phones in high schools. France already banned phones in middle schools for ages 11 to 15 in 2018. Former PM Elisabeth Borne said enforcement in middle schools must improve before expanding the ban.