France bans under-15s from social media, setting EU precedent
France has approved a blanket ban on social media for children under 15, threatening to shrink the user base of major platforms and setting a strict regulatory benchmark for the European Union.
France’s parliament has approved a bill banning children under 15 from using social media, making it the first European Union country to enact such a prohibition. The National Assembly passed the legislation by 279 votes to 81, following earlier approval by the Senate.
The ban will be implemented in two stages. Platforms must block users under 15 from creating new accounts from 1 September, with the restriction extending to existing accounts in January 2027. Educational platforms and online encyclopedias are exempt.
The onus to enforce the law falls squarely on tech companies. Digital minister Anne Le Hénanff noted that age-verification tools already exist, stating “for four months, all of us in France will have to prove our age,” adding that “if someone is under 15, the account will be closed.” Assembly member Laure Miller added that “the major platforms are, in my view, largely ready,” suggesting immediate compliance costs may be manageable for large operators.
The broader market risk lies in the regulatory precedent. A blanket ban prevailed over a Senate proposal for a two-tier system that would have allowed access to some platforms with parental consent. Centrist senator Catherine Morin-Desailly warned that a blacklist system would carry a “small risk” of non-compliance with European law, prompting lawmakers to adopt the stricter approach to avoid legal clashes with Brussels.
France is now the standard-bearer for a wider European crackdown. The European Commission is considering a bloc-wide social media ban, with president Ursula von der Leyen stating last week that children should have “phased and gradual access” to such apps. France is among the member states already testing an EU age-verification app.
Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ban as a key reform of his final term in office, noted that “the Constitutional Council must now rule on it, and then it will be time to take action to make this measure a reality and protect our children online.” If upheld, the law will mirror Australia’s approach, which in December became the first country to require platforms to remove accounts held by under-16s or face heavy fines.
