France Passes Under-15 Social Media Ban, Targeting September 1 Rollout

3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 21

France’s parliament approved a bill barring children under 15 from social media and banning mobile phones in schools, making it the first EU country to adopt a blanket platform ban for minors.
September 1 is the target for blocking new under-15 accounts, with existing accounts due to be shut from January 2027 if the Constitutional Council clears the measure.
Emmanuel Macron, who made the ban a second-term priority, said the law would protect children online; Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff said under-15 accounts would be closed while personal data would be protected.
Lawmakers backing the bill cited mounting evidence of harm from platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, while opponents on the left argued the law may be unconstitutional, unenforceable and damaging to online anonymity.
France’s move comes as governments worldwide tighten youth access rules amid rising concern over social media’s role in bullying, harmful content and adolescent mental health.

Sources

Left41%

Center29%

Right29%

Al Jazeera English5h ago

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Times Now20h ago

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31 Sources

Australia’s youth social media ban is already failing. Can France’s new law for under-15s actually succeed?

Will the tech needed for France's ban destroy online anonymity and create a new era of digital surveillance?

France’s Digital Majority: The 2026 Under-15 Social Media Ban and Its Impact on EU Child Protection Policy

Overview

France has taken the lead in Europe by establishing a 'digital majority,' setting an online age limit to better protect children and requiring mandatory age verification for adult sites. This move positions France at the forefront of efforts to regulate children's online access and sets a precedent within the European Union. Other countries like Spain and Greece have also introduced their own age verification systems, but France is the first to implement such a comprehensive measure. These national actions highlight the urgent need for a unified EU approach, as the European Commission now seeks to harmonize these initiatives into a common framework for child online safety.

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