It May Now Be Harder For French Kids To Open Up A Facebook Account

The French government is currently passing a law that requires children under the age of 16 to have parental approval before opening a Facebook account. These new laws come in light of government concern over the impact of technology on its teenagers.

Under-16s will have to declare they have parental permission to open an account

Under new laws, which have been approved by the French cabinet, teenagers under 16 years of age will have to tick a box to declare that they have their parents’ permission to open an account. Facebook requires its users to be over the age of 13, but many younger kids sign up by simply filling in a different date of birth.

The Facebook law is part of a wider crackdown on teenagers’ use of technology in general

The declaration will be legally binding

The government is worried about the amount of time teenagers spend on their phones and the culture this creates

It’s part of a wider plan to crackdown on younger teenagers’ use of technology

The government is worried about how much teenagers use their mobile phones, particularly at school. Children are currently not allowed to use their phones in classrooms but there is still concern over how much they are using them during breaks. The government has stated that kids are not socialising during break time and worries about the possible long-term side-effects technology use may have on its younger generations.

The impact of social media on teenagers is a concern for the French government

And a new law has now completely banned phones from high schools

A complete ban on smartphones for kids aged 11-15 was recently introduced in high schools – a ban President Macron had pledged to enforce when he was elected. Teenagers over 16, in Collège, can still use their mobile phones freely. While the idea of banning phones (except in emergency use) has received support, it isn’t really clear how it will be enforced by teachers. The new rules will start at the beginning of the new school year.

Facebook users must declare they have parental permission if they are under 16 years of age

These new laws aim to update old privacy rules

The new laws being brought in by the French parliament also attempt to manage how internet companies protect the privacy of its users and, in particular, how it passes this information on to third-party users, which is particularly important in safeguarding the rights of teenagers.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.