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France’s lower house backs social media ban for those under 15 years old

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France’s National Assembly has approved legislation that would ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms, reflecting growing concern over online bullying and the impact of digital environments on young users’ mental health. The decision marks a significant step in France’s efforts to strengthen child protection in the digital sphere.

Lawmakers supporting the bill argue that social media platforms expose minors to harassment, addictive content patterns and psychological pressure at a critical stage of emotional development. The legislation seeks to tighten age verification requirements and place greater responsibility on technology companies to prevent underage access to their services.

The vote comes amid a broader European debate on regulating social media use among minors. Several governments have raised alarms over rising rates of anxiety, depression and cyberbullying linked to excessive screen time and online interaction. French officials say the measure is intended to give families and schools stronger tools to manage children’s digital habits.

The bill now moves to further legislative review before it can become law. If fully approved, the restrictions could significantly change how social media platforms operate in France and how young users engage with online content.

France’s Atos Flags Steep Revenue Decline for 2025

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French IT services group Atos warned it expects a sharp drop in annual revenue for 2025, citing ongoing contract losses that continued through the quarter ending December 31. The company said revenue is estimated to fall to about 8 billion euros, in line with its earlier guidance.

Chief executive Philippe Salle said the figure represents an organic decline of 13.8%, underscoring the scale of the challenges facing the group as it attempts to rebuild after years of financial strain. Once considered a flagship of Europe’s technology sector, Atos recently emerged from a major debt restructuring that nearly pushed it into collapse.

The company is pursuing a broad reorganisation that includes asset sales and job cuts, significantly shrinking a business that was once valued at more than 10 billion euros to around 1 billion euros today. Salle said customer confidence is slowly returning, though at a more gradual pace than expected.

Atos plans to exit around 10 additional countries in 2026, following divestments in Scandinavia and Latin America. Despite the revenue decline, the group said it expects to exceed its 2025 profitability target and will publish its outlook for 2026 alongside full-year results on March 6.

Cellnex sells French data center arm Towerlink France for €391 million

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Cellnex (CLNX.MC), Europe’s largest mobile tower operator, announced on Friday that it has agreed to sell its French data center unit, Towerlink France, to Vauban Infra Fibre for €391 million ($458 million).

The Spanish company said the deal, made through its French subsidiary, will be fully settled in cash upon completion. The transaction covers 99.99% of Towerlink France’s share capital.

The sale marks another key step in Cellnex’s strategic shift from aggressive acquisitions toward strengthening its balance sheet and focusing on its core telecom infrastructure business.

In September, Reuters reported that Cellnex had been in talks with advisers to divest its French data center operations as part of broader restructuring efforts. Towerlink France operates the company’s main data center activities in the country.

The move follows a string of recent asset sales aimed at reducing debt and improving liquidity. Earlier this year, Cellnex sold its Austrian operations for €803 million and its Irish business for €971 million, freeing up significant capital.

Analysts say the divestments reflect a pragmatic approach by the company to consolidate around its core telecommunications tower business, which remains highly profitable amid Europe’s accelerating 5G rollout.