The law was overwhelmingly approved by French lawmakers and backed by President Emmanuel Macron.

Under the new rules, major platforms will be required to introduce age controls, with the ban expected to take effect from the new school year in September.

The decision comes amid growing concerns about social media addiction, harmful content, anxiety and the impact of algorithms on children and teenagers.

French regulators say teenagers spend an average of 1 hour and 21 minutes per day on TikTok, and officials argue stronger protections are needed.

Supporters say the law is an important step toward protecting children online, while critics argue that bans alone will not solve the problem and that platforms must do more to make their services safer.

The move is being closely watched around the world as more countries consider stricter age limits for social media use.

Source: CNN