France to ban advertising of mobile phones to children

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The Independent reports that the French government is planning to ban advertising of mobile phones to children under 12, and will ban the sale of any device designed to be used by those under six.

The new legislation, which was announced last week by Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo, will also place limits on the amount of radiation emitted from the phones, as well as making it compulsory for earphones to be sold alongside handsets.

The move represents the strongest action taken by any government worldwide, and contrasts sharply with the actions of the British government, who have done little since the publication of an official report nine years ago.  The report recommended discouraging under-16s from using mobiles, and banning the promotion of them to children.

Swedish research suggests that children and teenagers are five times more likely to get brain cancer if they use mobile phones, and experts are predicting an ‘epidemic' of the disease amongst today's young people in later life.

Before Christmas, the city of Lyon ran an advertising campaign aiming to dissuade people from buying mobiles as gifts for children, and in September the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to urge ministers across Europe to bring in stricter radiation limits.