France Moves to Restrict Social Media for Under-15s, Parliament Votes on Bill Today

The French Parliament is expected to vote this Tuesday on a bill banning children under the age of 15 from using social media. With this initiative, France joins a growing number of countries restricting minors’ access to these platforms.

The French government aims to establish a “digital age of consent.” If the proposed framework is approved, France will become the first country in Europe to introduce such legal regulations.

According to an AFP tally, more than 20 countries worldwide have proposed or adopted measures restricting children’s access to social media. In five of these countries, the restrictions are already in force. Australia was among the first countries to ban social media use for people under 16, doing so in December 2025.

In Brazil, the accounts of users under the age of 16 must be linked to those of their parents, while platforms are required to verify users’ ages. Similar measures are also in place in China, Indonesia and Malaysia. Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have also passed laws that are expected to come into force in the coming months.

Later this year, the European Commission is expected to propose a complete ban on social media for children under 13, as well as restricted access for those aged 13 to 18. Greece plans to introduce measures for under-15s on January 1, 2027, while Austria, Slovenia, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Ireland are drafting or considering similar legislation.

Norway aims to introduce a bill by the end of the year banning access for people under 16. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, Canada and several Indian states are considering raising the minimum age for social media use.

Portugal, Spain and Italy have also taken steps in this direction, introducing or considering bills that would raise the minimum age for the independent use of social media platforms.