France sets an EU precedent by approving social media ban for children under 15

The French Parliament has finalized a new law restricting minors’ access to social media, thus becoming the first European Union member state to ban the use of platforms by children under 15.

The legislation was backed by the National Assembly with 279 votes in favor and 81 against, following preliminary approval in the Senate. Now, the bill passes to the Constitutional Council for review, while Emmanuel Macron has promised to implement the measures starting in September this year.

Starting from September 1, minors under 15 will no longer be able to open new profiles on any social network, and currently existing accounts will be deactivated starting from January 2027.

President Macron considered this a crucial progress for the safety of children and adolescents in the digital environment. Speaking on the X platform, he expressed gratitude to the lawmakers who supported the initiative and highlighted that France is leading the way in Europe in strengthening the protection of minors from online risks.

Digital Affairs Minister Anne Le Hénanff argued that the implementation timelines are manageable, since age verification tools are already functional and the task of applying them will fall to technology companies. According to her outline, every user in France will have to prove their age, while the profiles of those under 15 will be deleted. She also assured that personal data privacy will be protected throughout this operation.

The law includes some exemptions: it does not affect educational platforms or online encyclopedias and does not foresee penalties for children or their parents. Moreover, another section of the act bans the use of cellphones in middle schools as well, a measure intended to come into force with the start of the next school year.

This initiative comes at a time when a growing number of countries are considering restrictions on social media for minors, alarmed by their effects on mental health. Earlier, French health authorities had drawn attention to the fact that platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram can produce negative consequences, especially among teenage girls.

At the European level, the European Commission is also assessing the introduction of similar norms, following the insistence of member states such as France, Greece, and Spain. President Ursula von der Leyen stressed last week that children should have gradual exposure to social media, while the community executive has begun testing an app for age verification.

Overall, about 20 countries globally have proposed or approved similar measures to restrict minors’ access to these services. A previous example has been Australia, which decided that major platforms must eliminate accounts of persons under 16, warning of heavy fines for violators.