Overview
- The European Commission has told France that the Senate version of its social-media ban is not compatible with EU law because it would let French authorities list and punish large platforms in ways the DSA reserves for Brussels.
- The contested Senate draft would bar children under 15 from a named list of “harmful” services and let national authorities set that list by decree, a mechanism the Commission says would overstep its enforcement role.
- Under the Digital Services Act the Commission is responsible for supervising very large platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube and is the only body that can impose EU-level sanctions for breaches.
- Researchers and German policymakers disagree on the right age limit, with some specialists urging 15–16 because short exposure to image and video platforms can harm mental health and others proposing a ban at 13 plus school-based media education.
- Practical limits matter: Australia’s under-16 model has seen widespread circumvention, so France’s bill now goes to a parliamentary mediation process and will likely need changes that balance age rules, verification limits, and education measures.