- French report urges strict screen limits for kids until adulthood.
- Recommendations include smartphone ban until 13, social media until 18.
- The government aims to shield children from addictive design, overexposure to screens.
A major 142-page report commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron urges drastic measures to curb kids’ screen exposure, igniting a crucial debate on safeguarding youth in the digital era.
The hard line on handheld devices
The report boldly recommends banning smartphone use until age 13 and barring social media access until 18, with limited, ethically-guided exposure allowed between 15-18.
But the 29 proposals don’t stop there. The commission insists their findings must be embraced holistically, cautioning against cherry-picking recommendations and advocating for a cohesive policy overhaul.
For the tiniest tech consumers, the report doubles down – no screen exposure whatsoever for those under 3, gradually transitioning to moderate, mindful usage.
Toddler zone: screen-free sanctuaries
Calling for further research into screen-time’s cognitive impacts and addictive algorithms, the commission stresses the need to shield kids from exploitative design tactics aimed at hijacking their attention.
In a stern rebuke to tech titans, the report declares: “We cannot accept that children become commodities, targets of endless notifications, glued to reward systems designed to be irresistible.”
