France’s parliament adopted legislation on July 21 banning social media access for children under 15, becoming the first European Union country to impose a blanket ban on the platforms. Both the National Assembly and Senate approved the measure, a flagship policy of President Emmanuel Macron’s second term, with only the far-left France Unbowed party voting against it and the Socialists abstaining.
As reported by euronews, the law will roll out in two stages. Starting in September, anyone opening a new social media account in France will be blocked from doing so if they are under 15, with age verification required on all new accounts. By January 2027, platforms will have been required to close existing under-15 accounts, meaning users will need to verify they are over 15 to continue using the platforms. The law also bans mobile phone use in French high schools.
Macron said he wants the law in place by the start of the school year in September, though a French Constitutional Council review of the bill is likely and could delay implementation.
Under the law, platforms will be required to use age-verification tools approved by France’s privacy regulator, according to Reuters. French Digital Minister Anne Le Hénanff defended the law’s fast-tracked rollout ahead of the vote, saying it was justified “because age-verification tools already exist.”
Not every lawmaker backed the approach. Socialist MP Arthur Delaporte argued for a narrower path during a closed-door committee negotiation on July 20: “Do we decide to impose a blunt, blanket ban on all social media for minors, or do we instead decide, as the European Commission is actually advocating, to ban only the harmful features of social media? We’re more aligned with the latter position.”
A Fast-Moving European Trend
France’s ban lands amid a wave of similar moves across Europe. According to euronews, Greece, Slovenia and Sweden are weighing restrictions on minors’ social media access, Spain is considering a ban for under-16s and Austria for under-14s. The UK is considering a similar path, with ministers reportedly preparing restrictions on social media access for under-16s and weighing possible curfews for 16- and 17-year-olds.
At the EU level, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for “phased and gradual access” by age, with under-13s limited to supervised, time-restricted use and teens 13 and older gaining access only on platforms that can demonstrate age-appropriate safeguards. She has said the Commission will present a formal proposal “after summer.”
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
France’s parliament adopted legislation on July 21 banning social media access for children under 15, becoming the first European Union country to impose a blanket ban on the platforms. Both the National Assembly and Senate approved the measure, a flagship policy of President Emmanuel Macron’s second term, with only the far-left France Unbowed party voting against it and the Socialists abstaining.
As reported by euronews, the law will roll out in two stages. Starting in September, anyone opening a new social media account in France will be blocked from doing so if they are under 15, with age verification required on all new accounts. By January 2027, platforms will have been required to close existing under-15 accounts, meaning users will need to verify they are over 15 to continue using the platforms. The law also bans mobile phone use in French high schools.
Macron said he wants the law in place by the start of the school year in September, though a French Constitutional Council review of the bill is likely and could delay implementation.
Under the law, platforms will be required to use age-verification tools approved by France’s privacy regulator, according to Reuters. French Digital Minister Anne Le Hénanff defended the law’s fast-tracked rollout ahead of the vote, saying it was justified “because age-verification tools already exist.”
Not every lawmaker backed the approach. Socialist MP Arthur Delaporte argued for a narrower path during a closed-door committee negotiation on July 20: “Do we decide to impose a blunt, blanket ban on all social media for minors, or do we instead decide, as the European Commission is actually advocating, to ban only the harmful features of social media? We’re more aligned with the latter position.”
A Fast-Moving European Trend
France’s ban lands amid a wave of similar moves across Europe. According to euronews, Greece, Slovenia and Sweden are weighing restrictions on minors’ social media access, Spain is considering a ban for under-16s and Austria for under-14s. The UK is considering a similar path, with ministers reportedly preparing restrictions on social media access for under-16s and weighing possible curfews for 16- and 17-year-olds.
At the EU level, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for “phased and gradual access” by age, with under-13s limited to supervised, time-restricted use and teens 13 and older gaining access only on platforms that can demonstrate age-appropriate safeguards. She has said the Commission will present a formal proposal “after summer.”
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Check Out Our Podcast