PARIS, Jan 26 (Reuters) - France's National Assembly debated legislation to ban children under 15 years old from social media on Monday, amid growing concerns about online bullying and mental health risks.

The bill proposes banning under-15s from social networks and "social networking functionalities" embedded within broader platforms, and reflects rising public angst over the impact of social media on minors.

It now passes to the Senate before a final vote in the lower house.

President Emmanuel Macron has pointed to social media as one factor to blame for violence among young people. He is urging France to follow Australia, whose world-first ban for under-16s on social media platforms including Facebook META.O, Snapchat SNAP.N, TikTok and YouTube GOOGL.O came into force in December.

BROAD SUPPORT FOR SOCIAL MEDIA BAN

Macron wants the ban in place in time for the start of the next academic year in September.

"With this law, we are setting a clear boundary in society and saying social media is not harmless," centrist lawmaker Laure Miller told the chamber as she presented the bill.

"Our children are reading less, sleeping less, and comparing themselves to one another more," she continued. "This is a battle for free minds."

Australia's social media ban is being studied in countries including Britain, Denmark, Spain and Greece.

The European Parliament has called for the European Union to set minimum ages for children to access social media, although it is up to member states to impose age limits.

There is broad political and public support in France for curbing minors' access to social media, and the bill was expected to pass in a vote later on Monday evening.

Far-right lawmaker Thierry Perez said the bill responded to a "health emergency".

"Social media has allowed everyone to express themselves, but at what cost to our children?” Perez said.

The French ban would require platforms to block access to young teenagers through age‑verification mechanisms compliant with European Union law.

Enforcing such bans can be difficult. Australia's government acknowledged the rollout of its ban would be bumpy after children claiming to be under 16 flooded the country's social media feeds with messages gloating about their continued ability to access networks.

The French legislation also extends an existing ban on smartphones in junior and middle schools to cover high schools.

A Harris Interactive survey in 2024 showed 73% of the public supported a ban on social media access for under-15s.

Teenagers on the streets of Paris were split in their views. Some said they acknowledged the dangers associated with social media. Others felt a ban was excessive.

"I don’t think it should be forbidden, for anyone," said 14-year-old Bonnie Pretot Jacobi. "Like, 13 or 14, I think it’s old enough. Way old enough."

(Reporting by Leigh Thomas and Elizabeth Pineau; Editing by Richard Lough and Alex Richardson)

((leigh.thomas@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 4949 5143;))