France will make a fresh attempt to protect children from excessive screen time, proposing a ban on social media access for children under 15 by next September, according to a draft law seen by AFP.

The initiative is backed by President Emmanuel Macron, who said earlier this month that parliament should start debating such a proposal in January.

Australia this month imposed a social media ban on under 16s, in a world first.

“Many studies and reports now confirm the various risks caused by excessive use of digital screens by adolescents,” the French draft says.

Children with unfettered online access were exposed to “inappropriate content” and could suffer from cyber-harassment or experience changes to their sleep patterns, the government said.

Macron has said that the digital protection of minors is a priority for his government, but enforcement and compliance with international law have been issues.

A ban on mobile phone use in preschools and middle schools came into force in 2018, but is rarely enforced.