France Becomes First EU Country to Ban Social Media for Children Under 15
The law also bars mobile phones in high schools and requires platforms to verify users' ages, with existing accounts phased out in 2027.
- On Tuesday, France's National Assembly overwhelmingly approved legislation banning social media access for children under 15, voting 279 to 81 and making France the first European Union nation to enforce such restrictions.
- President Emmanuel Macron championed the legislation as a key initiative in his closing presidency, comparing the ban to alcohol restrictions and arguing it protects teenagers from social media's documented harms.
- According to France's health watchdog, 90% of children ages 12 to 17 use smartphones daily and 58% access social networks via their devices, highlighting documented risks including reduced self-esteem and exposure to harmful content.
- The Constitutional Council must now review the legislation to ensure constitutional compliance before implementation proceeds, while the measure awaits final approval before taking effect.
- While Australia and Indonesia enacted similar laws for children under 16, France becomes the first European Union member to implement such restrictions; Spain, Greece, and Denmark are now considering comparable bans.
405 Articles
405 Articles
No more TikTok for French children under fifteen. France is set to become the first European country to introduce a social media ban. In Australia, there exists...
France: Protecting children online starts with platform design, not bans
Responding to the passing of a bill by France’s parliament banning children under 15 from accessing social media and restricting the use of phones in schools, Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said: “There is no doubt that regulating platforms to protect children is an imperative of our time. We commend states for taking social media harms seriously but rather than pursuing blanket bans, efforts should be on forcing p…
The BLOGGER ANGLE. France has introduced the ban for under 15, other governments are considering similar measures. It is a topic of public health, education and protection of minors. But the point is not to set an age: we need a policy of digital education
Macron wants it to come into effect by the start of the school year.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 38% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
